F-35 Lightning II vs F/A-18E Super Hornet
F-35 Lightning II vs F/A-18E Super Hornet
Flight Cost Per Hour
Overall and BVR ratings
| CATEGORY | F-35 LIGHTNING 2 | F/A-18E/F SUPER HORNET |
| BVR Rating | 94% | 83% |
| Armament | 8.6/10 | 7.9/10 |
| Technology | 9.5/10 | 8.9/10 |
| Avionics | 9.0/10 | 9.0/10 |
| Maneuverability | 8.5/10 | 7.8/10 |
| Rate of Climb | max. 230 m/s – 45k ft/min | max. 228 m/s – 44k ft/min |
| Thrust/Weight | 1.07 | 1.03 |
| Service Ceiling | 20 km – 65k ft | 15 km – 50k ft |
| Speed | 1.60 Mach | 1.80 Mach |
| Fuel Economy | 0.80 km/l – 1.68 NM/gallon | 0.60 km/l – 1.21 NM/gallon |
| Unit Cost | 180.000.000 USD | 80.000.000 USD |
| Overall Rating | excellent | very good |
BVR (Beyond Visual Range) Ratings
| CATEGORY | F-35 LIGHTNING 2 | F/A-18E/F SUPER HORNET |
| BVR AAM missile | MBDA Meteor | AIM-120 AMRAAM |
| AAM origin | NATO | USA |
| Year | in 2013 | in 1997 |
| Range (mile) | 62 | 45 |
| Range (km) | 100 | 75 |
| Speed (mph) | 2640 | 2640 |
| Speed (km/h) | 4248 | 4248 |
| Radar | AN/APG-81 AESA | AN/APG-79 |
| Radar overall rating | excellent | excellent |
| BVR Technology | 92% | 83% |
| BVR Def. Tech. | 95% | 80% |
| RCS – Radar Cross Section | 0.005-0.3 | 1.0-2.5 |
Dogfight (close to medium range) Ratings
| CATEGORY | F-35 LIGHTNING 2 | F/A-18E/F SUPER HORNET |
| Cannon | GAU-22/A | M61A1 Vulcan |
| Caliber (mm) | 20 mm | 20 mm |
| Rate of Fire (rpm) | 4200 rpm | 6000 rpm |
| Muzzle Velocity | 1000 m/s | 1050 m/s |
| Size Point 10%-30% | 20% | 20% |
| Maneuverability | 8,5 | 7,8 |
| Thrust/Weight Ratio | 1,07 | 1,03 |
| AAM (first) | AIM-9X | AIM-7 Sparrow |
| Operational range | 0.2 – 50 km | 0.2 – 50 km |
| AAM (second) | IRIS-T | AIM-7 Sidewinder |
| Operational range | 0.5 – 30 km | 0.5 – 30 km |
| Dogfight Rating | 70% | 57% |
Size Comparison
| CATEGORY | F-35 LIGHTNING 2 | F/A-18E/F SUPER HORNET |
| Length | 15.6 m – 50.0 ft | 18.4 m – 60 ft 1 in |
| Wingspan | 10.7 m – 35 ft 0 in | 13.65 m – 45 ft 0 in |
| Wing area | 42.0 m² – 460 sq ft | 46.5 m² – 500 sq ft |
| Height | 4.33 m – 14.2 ft | 4.88 m – 16 ft 0 in |
| Weight | 13,200 kg – 30,2k lb | 14,500 kg – 32k lb |
| Power | 1 x 190 kN – 43k lbf | 2 x 97 kN 22k lbf |