One of the major raps against the F-35 is that its a short ranged fighter. But lets compare its combat radius with that of the premier fighter in the world today, the F-22. From Wikipedia.
F-22 Performance Data...
Performance
- Maximum speed:
- At altitude: Mach 2.25 (1,500 mph, 2,410 km/h)[88]
- Supercruise: Mach 1.82 (1,220 mph, 1,963 km/h)[88]
- Range: 1,600 nmi (1,840 mi, 2,960 km) with 2 external fuel tanks
- Combat radius: 410 nmi[189] (471 mi, 759 km)
- Ferry range: 2,000 mi (1,738 nmi, 3,219 km)
- Service ceiling: 65,000 ft (19,812 m)
- Wing loading: 77 lb/ft² (375 kg/m²)
- Thrust/weight: 1.08 (1.26 with loaded weight & 50% fuel)
- Maximum design g-load: -3.0/+9.0 g
Performance
- Maximum speed: Mach 1.67[269] (1,283 mph, 2,065 km/h)
- Range: 1,200 nmi (2,220 km) on internal fuel[270]
- Combat radius: 610 nmi (1,110 km) on internal fuel[270]
- Service ceiling: 60,000 ft[271] (18,288 m)
- Rate of climb: classified (not publicly available)
- Wing loading: 91.4 lb/ft² (446 kg/m²)
- Thrust/weight: **With full
fuel: 0.84;[59]
- With 50% fuel: 1.04 B:[59]
- g-Limits: 9 g[nb 4]
The F-35 is a winner!