F35 vs J-20 vs Sukhoi PAK-FA

[Prapor]

F35

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 51.4 ft (15.67 m)
• Wingspan: 35 ft[N 5] (10.7 m)
• Height: 14.2 ft[N 6] (4.33 m)
• Wing area: 460 ft²[86] (42.7 m²)
• Empty weight: 29,300 lb (13,300 kg)
• Loaded weight: 49,540 lb[51][N 7][216] (22,470 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 70,000 lb[N 8] (31,800 kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney F135 afterburning turbofan
  • Dry thrust: 28,000 lbf[217][N 9] (125 kN)
  • Thrust with afterburner: 43,000 lbf[217][218] (191 kN)
• Internal fuel capacity: 18,480 lb (8,382 kg)[N 10]

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 1.6+[81] (1,200 mph, 1,930 km/h)
• Range: 1,200 nmi (2,220 km) on internal fuel
• Combat radius: over 590 nmi[N 11] (1,090 km) on internal fuel[219]
• Service ceiling: 60,000 ft[220] (18,288 m)
• Rate of climb: classified (not publicly available)
• Wing loading: 91.4 lb/ft² (446 kg/m²)
• Thrust/weight:
  • With full fuel: 0.87
  • With 50% fuel: 1.07
• g-Limits: 9 g[N 12]

Armament

• Guns: 1 × General Dynamics GAU-22/A Equalizer 25 mm (0.984 in) 4-barreled gatling cannon, internally mounted with 180 rounds[N 13][81]
• Hardpoints: 6 × external pylons on wings with a capacity of 15,000 lb (6,800 kg)[81][86] and 2 × internal bays with 2 pylons each[86] for a total weapons payload of 18,000 lb (8,100 kg)[52] and provisions to carry combinations of:
  • Missiles:
    • AIM-120 AMRAAM
    • AIM-132 ASRAAM
    • AIM-9X Sidewinder
    • IRIS-T
    • JDRADM (after 2020)[221]
    • AGM-154 JSOW
    • AGM-158 JASSM[92]
  • Bombs:
    • Mark 84, Mark 83 and Mark 82 GP bombs
    • Mk.20 Rockeye II cluster bomb
    • Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser capable
    • Paveway-series laser-guided bombs
    • Small Diameter Bomb (SDB)
    • JDAM-series
    • B61 nuclear bomb[222]

Avionics

• Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems AN/APG-81 AESA radar

J-20

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 75 ft (23 m) [3] ()
• Wingspan: 45 ft (14 m) [3] ()
• Height: ()
• Max takeoff weight: 75000–80000 lb[3] ()
• Powerplant: 2× WS-10 thrust-vectoring turbofan (130 kN) on prototype aircraft [5]
  2x WS-15 thrust-vectoring turbofan (180 kN) on production aircraft

Performance
Armament

• Guns: None on prototype.
  Expected to have internal and external hardpoints for missiles, bombs and fuel tanks.

 

[Prapor]

PAK FA

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 19.8 m (65.9 ft)
• Wingspan: 14 m (46.6 ft)
• Height: 6.05 m (19.8 ft)
• Wing area: 78.8 m2 (848.1 ft2)
• Empty weight: 18,500 kg (40,785 lb)
• Loaded weight: 26,000 kg (57,320 lb)
• Useful load: 7,500 kg (combat load) (16,534 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 37,000 kg (81,570 lb)
• Powerplant: 2× New unnamed engine by NPO Saturn and FNPTS MMPP Salyut of 175 kN each. Prototype with AL-41F1 of 147 kN each,[65] definitive version with new engine >157 kN[65]
• Maximum Fuel weight: 10,300 kg (22,711 lb)[63]

Performance

• Maximum speed: 2,100 - 2,500 km/h (Mach 2) [63][66] (1,300 - 1,560 mph) ; at 17,000 m (45,000 ft) altitude
• Cruise speed: 1,850 - 2,100 km/h [66] (1,150 - 1,300 mph)
• Ferry range: 5,500 km[67] (3417 miles)
• Service ceiling: 20,000 m (65,616 ft)
• Rate of climb: 350 m/sec (68,900 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 330(normal) - 470(maximum) kg/m2 (67(normal) - 96(maximum) lb/ft2)
• Thrust/weight: 1.19 [63]
• Maximum g-load: 10-11 g[63]

Armament

• Guns: None on prototype. Apparent provision for a cannon (most likely GSh-301).Possible two 30mm cannons[68]
• Hardpoints: Two internal bays estimated at 4.6-4.7 metres by 1-1.1 metres.[69] Other sources suggest two auxiliary internal bays for short range AAMS and 6 external hardpoints

Avionics
N050(?)BRLS AFAR/AESA built by Tikhomirov NIIP and based on Tikhomirov NIIP N035 Irbis-E .

 

[Prapor]

So, 3 next generation stealth fighters, one American, one Chinese, one Russian. I cannot offer an informed opinion, as I am not an aviator or any sort of specialist in that field. But there are Air Forces people here. What do you think?

 

[A Can of Man]

I think the real information needed to draw conclusions aren't available to us.

 

[Prapor]

I think the real information needed to draw conclusions aren't available to us.

What sort of information?

 

[Atasas]

Lets ride on Pictures!:horsie:

 

[Seehund]

What sort of information?

Well ......!
Could be operational test flights.

None of us could answer such a question. Nor could a fighter pilot.

 

[FUNeral]

Well... F35 shouldn't be compared to either J-20 or PAK-FA. F35 is smaller, carries less payload, weights less. While J-20 and PAK-FA are designed to be top-notch 5th gen fighters, F35 is plane designed to be a cheaper alternative for F22. F35 is for F22 what F16 was for F15. A "cheaper" mass produced multirole.
So it would be more fair to compare F22 to J-20 and PAK-FA. Or so I think.

 

[Atasas]

your evaluation based on size of jet fighter... ok,

 

[FUNeral]

your evaluation based on size of jet fighter... ok,

Look at stats Prapor posted, draw your own conclusions.
I based this evaluation on: engine, wingspan, top speed, max payload, weight, AND size. I don't have info on radars or electronics used in any of these so I skipped that. Mind that stealh tech fighter has to carry payload inside to be less visable on radar. So size does matter, it means more room for payload without losing stealh attributes. Keep this ok,... to yourself...

 

[Atasas]

Look at stats Prapor posted, draw your own conclusions.
I based this evaluation on: engine, wingspan, top speed, max payload, weight, AND size. I don't have info on radars or electronics used in any of these so I skipped that. Mind that stealh tech fighter has to carry payload inside to be less visable on radar. So size does matter, it means more room for payload without losing stealh attributes. Keep this ok,... to yourself...

Not OK then to compare aircraft based on 30% max of known factors

 

[Yossarian]

I do not think that comparing these aircraft based on their classified nature and their lack of information as well as any known combat performance records is very feasible at this time.

 

[wdyx918]

Well... F35 shouldn't be compared to either J-20 or PAK-FA. F35 is smaller, carries less payload, weights less. While J-20 and PAK-FA are designed to be top-notch 5th gen fighters, F35 is plane designed to be a cheaper alternative for F22. F35 is for F22 what F16 was for F15. A "cheaper" mass produced multirole.
So it would be more fair to compare F22 to J-20 and PAK-FA. Or so I think.

Yeah, very clear. in one vs one air battle, T50 and J20 will defeat F35.

 

[wdyx918]

F22 is definitely much superior than all the three.

 

[Yossarian]

This is one those topics that you just can't really touch on yet, 5th generation fighters and their applications are still in their infancy, they may look like normal jet fighters, but we still internationally haven't got a firm grasp on how they can be used, and what effects they would have not only on facing each other, but modern ware fare in general.

It may take years, if not decades, before we see what these planes can do, and are capable of is available as common knowledge, a century from now maybe, due alone to the classified nature of these machines today, we may know a great deal more, as for know, it's guesstimating and just fishing in the dark.