Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II vs Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) J-10C
Full specs: Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) J-10C
Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II and Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) J-10C are both fighter aircraft, compared here on public specifications. The Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II leads on weapons payload (8,160 vs 6,000 kg). Several China-origin figures here are manufacturer or state claims with limited independent verification, so treat this comparison as directional.
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Full data
Full spec sheet
| Performance | ||
| Max speed (km/h) | 1,960 km/h | 2,200 km/h ✓ |
| Max speed (Mach) (Mach) | 1.6 Mach | 1.8 Mach ✓ |
| Range (km) | 2,200 km | 2,950 km ✓ |
| Combat radius (km) | 1,240 km ✓ | 1,100 km |
| Service ceiling (m) | 15,240 m | 18,000 m ✓ |
| Thrust-to-weight | 0.87 | 1 ✓ |
| Firepower | ||
| Hardpoints | 10 | 11 ✓ |
| Weapons payload (kg) | 8,160 kg ✓ | 6,000 kg |
| Physical | ||
| Length (m) | 15.67 m | 16.9 m |
| Empty weight (kg) | 13,290 kg | 9,750 kg |
| Combat weight (kg) | 22,470 kg | 19,277 kg |
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
| Propulsion | ||
| Thrust (kN) | 191 kN ✓ | 142 kN |
| Program | ||
| Unit cost (USD) | $82,500,000 | $40,000,000 ✓ |
| Units built | 1,100 ✓ | 500 |
| Operator countries | 20 ✓ | 2 |
Frequently asked questions
Which is faster, Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II and Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) J-10C? +
The Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) J-10C is the fastest of the 2 compared here, at 2,200 km/h.
Which has the longer range? +
The Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) J-10C has the longest range at 2,950 km.
Which carries the larger weapons payload? +
The Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II carries the largest weapons payload at 8,160 kg.
Which is cheaper? +
The Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) J-10C has the lower public unit-cost figure at 40,000,000 USD. Treat this as directional, defense pricing varies by contract and configuration.
Which has the higher max speed (mach)? +
The Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) J-10C has the higher max speed (mach) at 1.8 Mach.
Which has the higher combat radius? +
The Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II has the higher combat radius at 1,240 km.
Is the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II better than the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) J-10C? +
On the public specs we track, the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) J-10C 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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