SIDE-BY-SIDE ANALYSIS

COMPARE
AIRFRAMES

Select any two aircraft from the archive. Rotate, zoom, and inspect each model independently, then compare key performance data below.

BACK TO AIRCRAFT COLLECTION
INTERACTIVE MODEL LOADS WHEN NEARBY
1971 / Cold WarAirframe A

F-111F Aardvark

General Dynamics · Tactical strike aircraft

HISTORICAL FIELD NOTE

The F-111 combined terrain-following radar, variable-sweep wings, afterburning turbofans, and a side-by-side cockpit for fast, low-level penetration. The refined F model paired this range and speed with powerful avionics and precision weapons, proving especially effective in the closing phase of the 1991 Gulf War.

INTERACTIVE MODEL LOADS WHEN NEARBY
2016 / ModernAirframe B

F-35A Lightning II

Lockheed Martin · Conventional multirole fighter

HISTORICAL FIELD NOTE

The conventional-runway F-35A combines low-observable shaping, sensor fusion, and internal weapons carriage with the lightest airframe and largest internal fuel load of the three F-35 variants. It entered U.S. Air Force operational service in 2016 and is designed for both air-to-air and precision-strike missions.

PERFORMANCE

SPECIFICATION BREAKDOWN

METRICF-111F AardvarkF-35A Lightning II
Top speed
Mach 2.5REFERENCE VALUE
Mach 1.6REFERENCE VALUE
Ceiling
60,000 ftREFERENCE VALUE
50,000 ftREFERENCE VALUE
Range
3,700 miREFERENCE VALUE
1,200+ nmiAPPROXIMATE / PUBLISHED
Archive milestone
Service entry · 1971REFERENCE VALUE
Service entry · 2016REFERENCE VALUE
Nation
United StatesDESCRIPTIVE VALUE
United StatesDESCRIPTIVE VALUE
Primary role
Tactical strike aircraftDESCRIPTIVE VALUE
Conventional multirole fighterDESCRIPTIVE VALUE

Values are concise archive references and can vary by variant, payload, configuration, altitude, operating conditions, and source. Range may describe different published measures where a directly comparable figure is unavailable.

TEST F-111F Aardvark IN WIND TUNNEL ↗TEST F-35A Lightning II IN WIND TUNNEL ↗