Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II vs Sukhoi Su-57
Full specs: Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Sukhoi Su-57
Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II and Sukhoi Su-57 are both fighter aircraft, compared here on public specifications. The Sukhoi Su-57 leads on range (3,500 vs 2,200 km). Several Russia-origin figures here are manufacturer or state claims with limited independent verification, so treat this comparison as directional.
Verdict
The F-35A wins on the things that are independently verifiable: an AN/APG-81 AESA radar and 360-degree Distributed Aperture System fused into one shared tactical picture, MADL/Link 16 networking across a 20-nation fleet of over 1,100 airframes, and real combat use, including strikes during the 2026 Iran war. The Su-57 counters mainly on paper: a claimed reduced radar signature and the long-ranged R-37M missile, but independent analysts continue to question whether its observability actually approaches Western fifth-generation designs, and production has stayed in the low tens against far larger ambitions. On raw sensor fusion and fleet-scale combat integration, the F-35A is the more proven system today; the Su-57's real capability gap is something only a documented engagement could settle.
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) | 1,960 km/h | 2,440 km/h ✓ |
| Max speed (Mach) (Mach) | 1.6 Mach | 2 Mach ✓ |
| Range (km) | 2,200 km | 3,500 km ✓ |
| Combat radius (km) | 1,240 km | 1,500 km ✓ |
| Service ceiling (m) | 15,240 m | 20,000 m ✓ |
| Thrust-to-weight | 0.87 | 1.08 ✓ |
| Firepower | ||
| Hardpoints | 10 | 10 |
| Weapons payload (kg) | 8,160 kg | 10,000 kg ✓ |
| Physical | ||
| Length (m) | 15.67 m | 20.1 m |
| Empty weight (kg) | 13,290 kg | 18,500 kg |
| Combat weight (kg) | 22,470 kg | 35,000 kg |
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
| Propulsion | ||
| Thrust (kN) | 191 kN ✓ | 147 kN |
| Program | ||
| Unit cost (USD) | $82,500,000 | $50,000,000 ✓ |
| Units built | 1,100 ✓ | 30 |
| Operator countries | 20 ✓ | 1 |
Analysis
Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II vs Sukhoi Su-57: how they match up
Sensor fusion vs raw stealth claims
The F-35A's defining trait is not any single sensor but fusion: the AN/APG-81 AESA radar, AN/AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture System (360-degree IR coverage), and AN/AAQ-40 EOTS combine into one picture on the pilot's helmet display, shared across a formation via MADL. The Su-57 pairs its N036 Byelka AESA and 101KS Atoll electro-optical suite with a lower-observability airframe, but Russia has not published verifiable radar cross-section figures, and Western analysts frequently cite the jet's exposed engine geometry as a compromise a true low-observable design would avoid.
Weapons and reach
The F-35A carries AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9X internally to preserve its signature, plus a 25mm cannon and a strike loadout including JDAM and SDB II, all within a 8,160kg payload. The Su-57's R-37M gives it a longer-reach missile option against high-value support aircraft, paired with the shorter-range R-74M2 and R-77M; its 10,000kg payload is nominally larger, though how much of that is carried externally, at the cost of the airframe's claimed stealth, is not detailed in public sources.
Production scale and combat record
More than 1,100 F-35As have been built for 20 operating nations, and the type flew opening-night strikes in the 2026 Iran war, a real-world test against a modern integrated air-defense network. The Su-57 has been fielded in far smaller numbers, likely in the low tens against original plans for hundreds, and reports of its combat use over Ukraine come primarily from Russian state-linked sources, unverified in the way a NATO air force's own after-action reporting is not.
Cost and export position
F-35A flyaway unit cost has fallen to roughly $82.5 million on recent production lots, competitive with, or below, several fourth-generation fighters, while being fielded across 20 export customers. The Su-57 has a disputed, far lower estimated unit cost, but Russia has not achieved a confirmed export sale to date; a long-discussed India co-development effort collapsed years ago, leaving the type's foreign-buyer prospects unproven.
Frequently asked questions
Is the F-35 better than the Su-57? +
On independently verifiable measures, sensor fusion, fleet scale, and combat use, the F-35A is the more proven aircraft. The Su-57's advantages (claimed low observability, the R-37M missile) rest more heavily on unverified Russian figures.
Has the F-35 or the Su-57 seen more combat? +
The F-35 has flown documented strike missions, including during the 2026 Iran war. Su-57 combat use is reported mainly by Russian state-linked sources and lacks the same independent confirmation.
Why does Russia doubt Su-57 stealth claims from the West? +
It doesn't; Western and independent analysts are the ones questioning it, citing visible design features like exposed engine faces that a true very-low-observable airframe would typically avoid.
How many F-35s and Su-57s have been built? +
Over 1,100 F-35As (and more across all F-35 variants) versus roughly a few dozen Su-57s, per publicly available production figures, a large scale gap even accounting for the F-35 program's decade-plus head start.
Which is faster, Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II 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 Sukhoi Su-57 has the higher max speed (mach) at 2 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-35A Lightning II better than the Sukhoi Su-57? +
On the public specs we track, the Sukhoi Su-57 leads on 6 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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