Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor vs Sukhoi Su-57
Full specs: Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor Sukhoi Su-57
Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor and Sukhoi Su-57 are both fighter aircraft, compared here on public specifications. The Sukhoi Su-57 leads on weapons payload (10,000 vs 2,270 kg). Several Russia-origin figures here are manufacturer or state claims with limited independent verification, so treat this comparison as directional.
Verdict
This is not a close call on paper. The F-22A remains the widely-regarded benchmark for air dominance: supercruise, thrust-vectoring AL-41F1-class agility of its own (via the F119-PW-100), a very-low-observable airframe, and the AN/APG-77 AESA radar, all combat-integrated since 2005. The Su-57 offers a longer-range missile (R-37M) and its own thrust-vectoring agility, but its stealth credentials are disputed and its fleet is a fraction of the Raptor's already-small 195-aircraft production run. The F-22's real limitation is not the Su-57, it is that Washington barred its export and ended production in 2011, so it never had to prove itself against a peer in numbers. On individual airframe capability, the Raptor still leads; on relevance to any large-scale conflict, both types' small fleets are a real constraint.
Analysis by Cole Merrick, Defense-systems data columnist, WeaponSpecs · Last updated 2026-08-06
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Full data
Full spec sheet
| Performance | ||
| Max speed (km/h) | 2,410 km/h | 2,440 km/h ✓ |
| Max speed (Mach) (Mach) | 2.25 Mach ✓ | 2 Mach |
| Cruise speed (km/h) | 1,960 km/h | N/A |
| Range (km) | 2,960 km | 3,500 km ✓ |
| Combat radius (km) | 850 km | 1,500 km ✓ |
| Service ceiling (m) | 19,812 m | 20,000 m ✓ |
| Rate of climb (m/s) | 254 m/s | N/A |
| Thrust-to-weight | 1.08 | 1.08 |
| Firepower | ||
| Hardpoints | 8 | 10 ✓ |
| Weapons payload (kg) | 2,270 kg | 10,000 kg ✓ |
| Physical | ||
| Length (m) | 18.92 m | 20.1 m |
| Empty weight (kg) | 19,700 kg | 18,500 kg |
| Combat weight (kg) | 29,410 kg | 35,000 kg |
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
| Propulsion | ||
| Thrust (kN) | 156 kN ✓ | 147 kN |
| Program | ||
| Unit cost (USD) | $143,000,000 | $50,000,000 ✓ |
| Units built | 195 ✓ | 30 |
| Operator countries | 1 | 1 |
Analysis
Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor vs Sukhoi Su-57: how they match up
Speed, agility, and engines
The F-22A supercruises (sustained supersonic flight without afterburner) at Mach 1.82 and reaches Mach 2.25 with afterburner, powered by twin F119-PW-100 turbofans with thrust vectoring and a combined 156kN of thrust. The Su-57's AL-41F1 engines also offer thrust vectoring and a higher top speed claim (Mach 2), but the Raptor's supercruise capability, sustained supersonic cruise without burning through fuel on afterburner, is a genuine and hard-to-match operational advantage for persistent air-superiority patrol.
Stealth and sensors
The F-22's AN/APG-77 AESA radar and very-low-observable shaping were purpose-built for first-look, first-kill air dominance, and its signature is broadly accepted by analysts as class-leading among fielded fighters. The Su-57's N036 Byelka AESA and reduced-observability shaping are real design choices, but, as with its F-35 matchup, independent assessments dispute whether its actual radar cross-section rivals the Raptor's.
Fleet scale and exclusivity
Only 195 F-22As were built before production ended in 2011, and U.S. law bars export, keeping the type exclusive to the USAF; each airframe is a closely managed, expensive-to-sustain asset. The Su-57's own production has been slower still, with likely low-tens delivered against far larger original plans, so despite very different histories, both jets share the same structural weakness: too few airframes to matter at scale in a large conflict.
Combat use
The F-22 has flown air-to-ground strikes over Syria and long-running high-end intercept and escort missions, a genuine, if limited, combat record. Su-57 combat reports center on Russia's war against Ukraine and come mainly from Russian state-linked sources, carrying the same state-claim caveat applied to other Russian-origin figures on this site.
Frequently asked questions
Could the F-22 beat the Su-57 in a dogfight? +
Most independent analysts rate the F-22 favorably given its accepted stealth advantage, supercruise, and mature sensor suite, but neither type has a documented engagement against the other to confirm it empirically.
Why was F-22 production stopped at 195 aircraft? +
Cost and the post-Cold-War strategic shift toward counterinsurgency operations led Congress to end production in 2011; export was separately barred by U.S. law throughout the program.
Is the Su-57 as stealthy as the F-22? +
Independent analysts widely dispute this, citing design compromises like exposed engine faces; Russia has not published verifiable radar cross-section data to settle the question either way.
Which is faster, the F-22 or the Su-57? +
The F-22A's published top speed (Mach 2.25) exceeds the Su-57's (Mach 2), and the F-22 additionally supercruises at Mach 1.82 without afterburner.
Which is faster, Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor and Sukhoi Su-57? +
The Sukhoi Su-57 is the fastest of the 2 compared here, at 2,440 km/h.
Which has the longer range? +
The Sukhoi Su-57 has the longest range at 3,500 km.
Which carries the larger weapons payload? +
The Sukhoi Su-57 carries the largest weapons payload at 10,000 kg.
Which is cheaper? +
The Sukhoi Su-57 has the lower public unit-cost figure at 50,000,000 USD. Treat this as directional, defense pricing varies by contract and configuration.
Which has the higher max speed (mach)? +
The Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor has the higher max speed (mach) at 2.25 Mach.
Which has the higher combat radius? +
The Sukhoi Su-57 has the higher combat radius at 1,500 km.
Is the Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor better than the Sukhoi Su-57? +
On the public specs we track, the Sukhoi Su-57 leads on 4 of 6 headline metrics, see the full spec sheet for the metric-by-metric breakdown.
Where does this comparison data come from? +
Every figure in the table is sourced from public manufacturer pages, defense-ministry releases and reference publications, and is verifiable on each system's spec page. WeaponSpecs does not accept vendor placement.
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