Real Dogfight videos of F-16 vs F-35 – Viper vs Lightning
Here is a Real Dogfight videos of F-16 vs F-35 – Viper vs Lightning
During a dogfight, jets have to manage extreme amounts of kinetic energy while making pinpoint turns and maneuvers.
With smaller wings than some legacy fighters and an inferior thrust-to-weight ratio, the early F-35 pilots found it nearly impossible to engage with F-16s.
Unlike dogfighters from World War II, the F-35 mainly focuses on flying undetected
As exciting as dogfights are, it’s been decades since a US jet engaged an enemy in a turning dogfight, and the F-35’s design reflects that new reality.
In the above video The 419th Fighter Wing’s first F-35 pilot, Maj. Jayson Rickard, talks about his transition from the F-16 to the Air Force’s newest fighter jet.
F-16 vs F-35 Dogfight comparison
It is too soon to draw any final conclusions on the maneuverability of the aircraft.
The F-35 is designed to be comparable to current tactical fighters in terms of maneuverability, but the design is optimized for stealth.
This will allow it to operate in threat environments where the F-16 could not survive.”
Hostage said virtually the same thing about the F-16 and the F-35 in our interview last year.
The reasonable conclusion of all this: the F-35 is not a top dogfighting aircraft because it wasn’t designed to be one.
And it wasn’t designed to be one because it is better to kill the enemy from a distance before the enemy can target you.
Readmore:Real Dogfight videos of F-16 vs MIG-29 – Viper vs Fulcrum
F-35 Vs F-16 Specification comparison