Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II vs Saab AB JAS 39E Gripen
Full specs: Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Saab AB JAS 39E Gripen
Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II and Saab AB JAS 39E Gripen are both fighter aircraft, compared here on public specifications. The Saab AB JAS 39E Gripen leads on range (4,000 vs 2,200 km).
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Full data
Full spec sheet
| Performance | ||
| Max speed (km/h) | 1,960 km/h | 2,124 km/h ✓ |
| Max speed (Mach) (Mach) | 1.6 Mach | 2 Mach ✓ |
| Range (km) | 2,200 km | 4,000 km ✓ |
| Combat radius (km) | 1,240 km | 1,500 km ✓ |
| Service ceiling (m) | 15,240 m | 16,000 m ✓ |
| Thrust-to-weight | 0.87 | 1.05 ✓ |
| Firepower | ||
| Hardpoints | 10 | 10 |
| Weapons payload (kg) | 8,160 kg ✓ | 5,300 kg |
| Physical | ||
| Length (m) | 15.67 m | 15.2 m |
| Empty weight (kg) | 13,290 kg | 8,000 kg |
| Combat weight (kg) | 22,470 kg | 16,500 kg |
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
| Propulsion | ||
| Thrust (kN) | 191 kN ✓ | 98 kN |
| Program | ||
| Unit cost (USD) | $82,500,000 ✓ | $85,000,000 |
| Units built | 1,100 ✓ | 60 |
| Operator countries | 20 ✓ | 3 |
Frequently asked questions
Which is faster, Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II and Saab AB JAS 39E Gripen? +
The Saab AB JAS 39E Gripen is the fastest of the 2 compared here, at 2,124 km/h.
Which has the longer range? +
The Saab AB JAS 39E Gripen has the longest range at 4,000 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 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II has the lower public unit-cost figure at 82,500,000 USD. Treat this as directional, defense pricing varies by contract and configuration.
Which has the higher max speed (mach)? +
The Saab AB JAS 39E Gripen has the higher max speed (mach) at 2 Mach.
Which has the higher combat radius? +
The Saab AB JAS 39E Gripen has the higher combat radius at 1,500 km.
Is the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II better than the Saab AB JAS 39E Gripen? +
On the public specs we track, the Saab AB JAS 39E Gripen leads on 5 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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