When comparing the combat capabilities of the F-35 Lightning II and the F-22 Raptor, the answer to the question – “who would win in a dog fight?”—is difficult to answer definitively.

Doing combat implements such as air-to-air dogfights or air-to-ground strikes require a degree of situational awareness and a combination of tactics that ultimately determine the outcome. However, it is possible to look at the specifications of each aircraft and the differences between them to draw a comparison between the two aircraft and make an educated guess as to which would prove victorious in a one-on-one battle.

The F-35 is optimized for combat missions in the range of 0 to 30,000 feet while the F-22 is optimized for air-to-air combat at altitudes up to 65,000 feet. The F-35 has a larger payload, allowing it to be used for air-to-ground attacks with a variety of bombs and missiles, while the F-22’s primary focus is on air-to-air combat with its precision-guided weapons.

The F-35 includes a host of electronic warfare and sensor systems that give it additional capabilities compared to the F-22, such as the ability to counter anti-aircraft systems and provide better surveillance and target acquisition. This can give the F-35 a decisive advantage in highly aggressive environments. Read more about the difference in the F-22 vs F-35.