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F-16 Fighting Falcon vs F-35A Lightning II

RANKED BY PUBLISHED MAXIMUM SPEED (MACH) OF A CURRENTLY OPERATIONAL MANNED AIRCRAFT #3 VS #6 CHECKED 06 SEPT 2026

Side by side

Verdict

F-16 Fighting Falcon ranks #3 of 7 on Published maximum speed (Mach) of a currently operational manned aircraft (Mach 2); F-35A Lightning II ranks #6 (Mach 1.6).

Rank 03 of 7 · leads

F-16 Fighting Falcon

Published maximum speed (Mach) of a currently operational manned aircraft

Mach 2

MakerLockheed Martin

Date1978

Verified04 Sept 2026

Evidence

USAF / Air National Guard F-16 Fighting Falcon fact sheet: "Speed: 1,500 mph (Mach 2 at altitude)". Still the published USAF figure for the operational C/D fleet.

Rank 06 of 7

F-35A Lightning II

Published maximum speed (Mach) of a currently operational manned aircraft

Mach 1.6

MakerLockheed Martin

Date2016

Verified04 Sept 2026

Evidence

USAF F-35A Lightning II fact sheet, General Characteristics: "Speed: Mach 1.6 (~1,200 mph)". Same Mach 1.6 / ~1,200 mph cell on the 388th FW demo-team media kit and Airman Magazine airframe card.

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More F-16 Fighting Falcon matchups

Source Boeing F-15EX product page; Saab Gripen E/F specs; USAF F-16 and F-35A fact sheets; Rosoboronexport Su-57E page; Dassault Rafale specs;… Last checked 06 Sept 2026

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