When you look at the U.S. Air Force’s fighter fleet, I always see two aircraft that tell a complete story: the F-22 Raptor and the F-16 Fighting Falcon. On one hand, you have the F-22, a 5th-generation marvel.

.When comparing the F-22 vs F-16, it’s important to understand the context of their roles.

I’ve spent years studying these platforms, and what strikes me most is how they are two perfect, complementary pieces of a puzzle. The F-22 is your high-end insurance policy, the jet you bring when you absolutely can’t afford to lose control of the sky. The F-16 is the reliable workhorse that, frankly, gets most of the day-to-day job done.

In below table i have give summarized comparison of F-22 vs F-16

F-22 vs F-16 Comparison

Both are exceptional, but I can’t stress enough how different their design philosophies are. Let’s break down exactly how these two incredible fighters stack up from my perspective.

F-22 vs F-16: Size and Presence

The first thing you notice when you see them on the tarmac is the size difference. It tells you everything you need to know about what they were built for. The F-22 is a big, imposing aircraft, designed without compromise. The F-16, however, embodies the nimble, lightweight fighter concept.

Let me give you the raw numbers:

• F-22 Length: 62 ft 1 in
• F-16 Length: 49 ft 5 in
• F-22 Wingspan: 44 ft 6 in
• F-16 Wingspan: 32 ft 8 in

The Raptor is almost 13 feet longer and has a wingspan over 11 feet wider than the Falcon. I promise you, that extra size isn’t wasted. It’s packed with the technology that makes the F-22 a true 5th-gen fighter: internal weapons bays for stealth, massive internal fuel tanks, and a powerful sensor suite.

The F-22’s wing area is a huge 840 square feet compared to the F-16’s 300. In my view, that’s a key factor in its incredible high-altitude performance and lift characteristics.

The weight difference is even more dramatic. An empty F-22 tips the scales at a hefty 43,340 pounds. An F-16? Just 18,900 pounds. That’s less than half! At maximum takeoff weight, the F-22 can get up to 83,500 pounds, while the F-16 maxes out around 42,300 pounds.

I see this weight as a direct reflection of their purpose. The F-22’s structure is a cocktail of advanced materials—about 42% titanium alloys and 24% composites—designed to handle the brutal stress of sustained supersonic flight. The F-16, on the other hand, was built to be an agile, affordable fighter as part of the “high-low mix” strategy, a lightweight partner to the more expensive F-15 Eagle.

The fuel capacity tells a similar story.

• F-22 Internal Fuel: A massive 18,000 lbs.
• F-16 Internal Fuel: A more modest 7,000 lbs.
• F-22 with External Tanks: Up to 26,000 lbs.
• F-16 with External Tanks: Around 12,000 lbs.

Carrying more than double the fuel internally means the F-22 can fly farther and stay in the fight longer without sacrificing its stealth profile. It’s a huge tactical advantage.

F-22 vs F-16: The Need for Speed

This is where things get really interesting for me as an analyst. On paper, both jets are supersonic demons, but the F-22 has a game-changing capability that the F-16 just can’t match.

The F-22 can hit Mach 2.25 (around 1,500 mph) at altitude, a bit faster than the F-16’s Mach 2.0. But honestly, those top-end numbers don’t tell the real story. What truly matters in combat isn’t a brief sprint with the afterburners blazing—it’s what you can sustain.

And that brings us to Supercruise: The Game Changer.

The speed capabilities are another factor in the F-22 vs F-16 analysis.

This is where the F-22 absolutely dominates. The Raptor can cruise at Mach 1.5 to Mach 1.8 without using its fuel-guzzling afterburners. Let me emphasize that again—sustained supersonic speed without afterburners. The F-16 can’t do that. It might briefly punch through the sound barrier without afterburner if it’s “clean” (no external stores), but in a combat configuration, it’s a subsonic jet, usually cruising around Mach 0.8 or 0.9.

I can’t overstate how important supercruise is. Here’s why:

• It saves an incredible amount of fuel compared to using afterburners.
• It avoids the massive infrared signature of an afterburner plume, keeping the F-22 hidden.
• It extends the jet’s tactical radius, letting it patrol a much larger area.
• It allows for faster intercepts; you can get to the fight before your opponent even knows you’re coming.
• Missiles launched at Mach 1.8 inherit that speed, extending their effective range by maybe 50%. It’s a huge boost in lethality.

Discussing supercruise further highlights the differences in the F-22 vs F-16 performance metrics.

We saw this play out in exercises like Northern Edge back in 2006. The F-22s used their speed and stealth to rack up a staggering 108-to-zero kill ratio against F-15s, F-16s, and F/A-18s. The Raptors could engage, reposition, and re-engage while the other guys were still trying to figure out what was happening.

Let’s not forget raw power, F-22 vs F-16 either.

• F-22: Two Pratt & Whitney F119 engines, giving it a combined 70,000 lbs of thrust.
• F-16: A single Pratt & Whitney F100 or GE F110 engine, producing around 29,000 lbs of thrust.

With more than double the power, the F-22’s dominance across the entire flight envelope is simply overwhelming.

F-22 vs F-16: The Dogfight

Now we’re talking about the “knife fight in a phone booth.” This is where the F-16 earned its legendary reputation, and where the comparison gets a bit more nuanced.

The F-16 is an exceptional dogfighter, period. It was designed in an era when turning performance was king. With sustained turn rates around 25 degrees per second, the Viper can dance with just about anything in a turning fight.

• F-16 Dogfighting Strengths:
  • Incredible sustained turn rate.
  • Great at holding its energy at its “corner speed” (around 430-450 knots).
  • A responsive fly-by-wire system.
  • A thrust-to-weight ratio close to 1:1 when clean.
  • Decades of combat-proven tactics.

The F-22, however, approaches the dogfight from a completely different angle. It’s bigger and heavier, but it uses raw power and thrust vectoring to match or even exceed the F-16’s maneuverability. Its engine nozzles can pivot up and down, allowing it to perform mind-bending, post-stall maneuvers that are physically impossible for an F-16.

• F-22 Dogfighting Advantages:
  • A thrust-to-weight ratio over 1:1, even with combat loads.
  • 2D thrust vectoring for extreme maneuvers.
  • Can sustain 9-g turns even when heavy.
  • Maintains control at extreme angles of attack (over 60 degrees).
  • Unbeatable in a vertical fight.

The thrust-to-weight ratio is a key point when analyzing the F-22 vs F-16 combat effectiveness.

Here’s the thing, though. In exercises like Red Flag, German Eurofighter pilots have said that in a pure turning fight, neither jet had a clear advantage. Since the Eurofighter’s capabilities are similar to the F-16’s in that respect, it suggests a well-flown Viper could maybe hang with a Raptor in a horizontal turning contest.

But modern dogfights are rarely that clean. When you merge and the fight goes vertical, the F-22’s power and thrust vectoring become a trump card. It can maintain energy and control where the F-16 would simply run out of steam.

• Close Combat Weapons:
  • Both carry the M61 Vulcan 20mm cannon.
  • Both can fire the AIM-9 Sidewinder missile.
  • But the F-22 has a superior helmet-mounted display and sensor fusion, giving the pilot “god-like” situational awareness.

In dogfights, the F-22 vs F-16 presents an intriguing comparison of tactics and capabilities.

I always come back to what pilots say: “The best dogfighter is the one that never has to dogfight.” The F-22 is the master of this. It uses its stealth and speed to win the fight before it even starts. By the time you’re in visual range of a Raptor, you’ve likely already lost your wingmen and are at a massive disadvantage.

Stealth: The Invisibility Cloak

For me, this is the most fundamental difference between a 4th and 5th-generation fighter(F-22 vs F-16). The stealth gap between these two jets is absolutely enormous.

The F-22’s radar cross-section (RCS) is said to be between 0.0001 and 0.0005 square meters. That’s about the size of a bumblebee. The F-16’s RCS? Around 5 square meters. That’s a huge difference. You’re talking about the F-22 being 10,000 to 50,000 times harder to detect on radar.

• F-22 Stealth Features:
  • Special radar-absorbent materials (RAM) all over its skin.
  • Carefully aligned panel edges to deflect radar waves.
  • Internal weapons bays, so there are no missiles or bombs hanging off the wings.
  • S-shaped engine inlets that hide the highly reflective turbine blades.

The F-16, even with modern “Have Glass” stealth coatings, is still a conventional fighter. It carries everything externally, creating a massive radar signature that an enemy can’t miss.

In mission roles, the F-22 vs F-16 distinction becomes even more pronounced..

The tactical reality of this is profound. A radar system that can spot an F-16 from 200 kilometers away might not see an F-22 until it’s inside 50 kilometers. By then, it’s far too late. The Raptor has already launched its missiles and is turning for home.

Avionics and Sensors: Seeing Without Being Seen

The F-22’s AN/APG-77 AESA radar is one of the most advanced I’ve ever studied. It can scan huge areas of sky incredibly quickly and uses techniques that make it very hard for an enemy to even know they’re being targeted.

The F-16 has been upgraded over the years, and the newest F-16V models have a great AESA radar too. But it just doesn’t have the same power, size, or sophistication as the system on the F-22.

The sensor fusion capabilities of the F-22 vs F-16 are another area of differentiation.

But the real magic in the F-22 is its sensor fusion. It automatically takes data from its radar, infrared sensors, electronic warfare systems, and datalinks and combines it all into a single, easy-to-understand picture for the pilot. It’s like having a tactical genius in the cockpit with you, constantly telling you where everything is. This level of awareness is something F-16 pilots can only dream of.

The Bottom Line(F-22 vs F-16): Costs vs. Capabilities

This is where reality bites, and where the bean-counters get nervous. The F-22’s incredible capabilities come with a price tag that makes your eyes water.

• Operating Costs Per Flight Hour:
  • F-22: Between $58,000 and $85,000.
  • F-16: Around $22,000 to $27,000.

The Raptor costs three to four times more to fly every single hour. That’s due to its complex stealth coatings, which need constant maintenance, and its advanced, one-of-a-kind systems.

• Unit Costs:
  • F-22: Anywhere from $143 to $177 million per jet.
  • F-16: Between $18 and $70 million, depending on the version.

You can buy a whole squadron of F-16s for the price of just a few F-22s. This is why the Air Force stopped production at just 187 operational Raptors, instead of the 750 they originally wanted. They simply couldn’t afford it.

Ultimately, the strengths of both aircraft are highlighted in the F-22 vs F-16 cost-to-capability evaluations.

Mission Roles: The Specialist vs. The Jack-of-All-Trades

The F-22 is a specialist. It’s a pure air superiority fighter, designed to do one thing better than anything else: dominate the sky. It can carry a few bombs internally, but that’s not its main job.

Modern warfare dynamics play a role in the F-22 vs F-16 engagement strategies.

The F-16 is the ultimate multirole fighter. It’s a true jack-of-all-trades.

• It can do air-to-air combat.
• It can provide close air support for troops on the ground.
• It can conduct deep strike missions.
• It can hunt enemy air defenses (SEAD).
• It can perform reconnaissance.

The F-16 has proven its versatility time and time again in real-world combat. The F-22, on the other hand, has mostly been used for its deterrent effect—its mere presence is often enough to make adversaries think twice.

The Final Analysis: My Take

So, after laying all this out, what’s my final take as a defense analyst? It’s simple: the F-22 and F-16 are fundamentally different tools for different jobs, and a smart air force needs both.

The F-22 is unmatched. I don’t think there’s another fighter in the world that can go head-to-head with it and win. Its combination of stealth, speed, and sensors creates a capability gap that 4th-generation fighters just can’t cross. The 108-to-zero kill ratio from exercises isn’t just hype—it’s a testament to its real-world dominance.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth: it’s prohibitively expensive. With so few built and an export ban in place, the Raptor will always be America’s silver bullet, saved for the most dangerous threats.

The F-16, though it may be technologically inferior, is arguably more strategically important on a global scale. It provides credible, affordable airpower to dozens of allied nations. Its flexibility and proven combat record mean it will likely still be flying long after the F-22 has been retired.

Here’s how I see it:

Stealth technology is a significant factor in the F-22 vs F-16 discussion.

• You need the F-22 when: You’re facing a peer adversary with advanced air defenses and 5th-gen fighters. You need to “kick down the door” and establish air superiority, no matter the cost.
• You need the F-16 when: You need a versatile, reliable fighter for regional defense, counter-insurgency, and coalition warfare. You need a jet that can do it all without breaking the bank.

The ideal force structure isn’t F-22 OR F-16; it’s F-22 AND F-16. The Raptor establishes control of the sky, and the F-16 provides the mass and flexibility to win the war. I’ve seen this operational reality play out from the deserts of the Middle East to the skies over Syria. For the U.S., the F-22 is the guarantee of air dominance. For the rest of the world, the F-16 remains the go-to choice for practical, effective airpower. Both are indispensable, and that’s what makes this comparison so fascinating.