This is kinda confusing but could the F-35(new joint strike fighter) beat the F-16 (old air superiority fighte

Question

The F-35 is newer but the F-16 is meant for air superiority.So which would win in an air to air dogfight w/ equal pilots

Answer 1

Its kind of sad but each person who has posted an answer so far here has been slightly wrong in some way except for the childish first answer (what else is expected from yahoo answers).

The F-16 is not the US's primary air superiority platform, the F-16 is a multirole fighter. Its capable of hitting air and ground targets and is also our current wild weasel aircraft used to neutralize enemy radar and SAM systems. The F-35 is its replacement, not meant for strictly air to air combat but the same multirole purpose as the F-16. As far as which would win in an air to air engagement it would likely be the F-35 due to its decreased radar cross section and stealth capabilities (which as posted above are not the most advanced- see F-22 Raptor). The weapons carried by the F-16 and F-35 are going to be the same, the F-35 has the ability to carry its stores either externally or internally depending on the payload and stealth required for the mission. So to plainly answer this question- The F-35 would likely win due to its stealth capability and more advanced radar and avionics. Oh and on a side note they would never be involved in a dogfight, unless the new definition of dogfight includes a missile lock from over 9 miles away.

FYI-The current US air superiority fighter is the F-15 C model, soon to be replaced by the F-22 Raptor.

Answer 2

The F-35 is not that far along. Nobody knows what it can really do or if it will crash a lot like the early F-16s.

If the F-35 has the same steath capabilities as the F-22, the F-16 would be doomed. The F-16 would be unable to hit the F-35 except through pure luck. Meanwhile the F-35 could drop 4 F-16s at a time without the F-16s ever seeing the F-35s. This is based on the F-22 going up against F-18s. Dogfights have been going out of style and the way steath technology works, it's best for a stealth aircraft to be at least a cetain distance away, because any closer and it will be less able to reflect its radar signature. Both the F-16 and F-35s can outfly their pilots. You will see a lot of aircraft wit a -3G +9 G rating, which is the limit humans can withstand before blacking out.

Answer 3

The F-22. Its the real battling fowl, designed for air superiority and which skill better battling applications than the F-35 it really is predominantly strike oriented. Its should be extra interesting to fly a fifth era fighter than a a lot less state-of-the-artwork attack plane. BTW, not all F-35s hover.

Answer 4

"The F-35 is the result of the Defense Department's Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program, which sought to build a multirole fighter optimized for the air-to-ground role with secondary air-to-air capability."

"Since replacement of the F-16 by the F-35 will entail a significant payload reduction, the F-35 faces a very demanding one shot one kill requirement."

It was built to be affordable, versatile, and primarily an air-to-ground striker.....my money would be on the F-16.

Answer 5

the F35 is designed to replace the F16 for the USAF, the F14 and F18 for the USN, and the harrier for the USMC and the UK air force and navy
the F35 not only has the most modern technology in planes, it is also designed to be the first low-budget-mass-production stealth fighter (the F22 raptor is not mass produced) and "It will provide air- to-air capability second only to the F-22 air superiority fighter"

in a "dogfight" or ACM, the F35 would most likely win

Answer 6

f-35 has newer weapons and longer range weapons

Answer 7

probably F-35... cuz it is more technologically advanced???