When thinking about fighter jets, many people picture a “dogfight” – two planes twisting and turning up close, trying to get behind each other. Today’s air combat often happens from very far away, but dogfighting, or Within Visual Range (WVR) combat, can still happen. So, what if a Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II met an upgraded F-16V Viper in a close-up fight, assuming the pilots were equally skilled, who would likely win?
Based on what we know about these jets, it seems the F-35A would most likely win that close fight. This isn’t because the F-16 isn’t good – it’s a very agile jet. But the F-35A has some key built-in advantages.
F-35A Capabilities in WVR
A primary factor supporting this prediction is the F-35A’s situational awareness capabilities. The F-35A integrates data from its sensor suite. This suite includes the AN/APG-81 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, the AN/AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture System (DAS), and the AN/AAQ-40 Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS). This data is processed and presented to the pilot through a Helmet Mounted Display (HMD). The DAS provides a 360-degree infrared view around the aircraft. This integration provides the pilot with information regarding the battlespace. This information flow facilitates target detection and tracking and can contribute to achieving a first look or first shot opportunity.
Another factor is the kinematic performance when operating with a combat loadout. The F-35A is designed with internal fuel capacity and internal weapons carriage bays for a portion of its ordnance. This design reduces external drag compared to an F-16, which typically requires external fuel tanks and external pylons for weapons to achieve comparable mission endurance and armament levels in a realistic combat configuration. The F-35A, powered by the Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engine, maintains its performance characteristics more consistently under these conditions compared to an F-16V with external stores. This affects aspects such as acceleration and turn capabilities.
The F-35A possesses high Angle of Attack (AoA) maneuverability. It is cleared for controlled flight up to 50 degrees AoA. This capability is facilitated by its flight control laws. This allows the pilot to direct the aircraft’s nose towards a target at significant angles relative to the direction of flight. This nose-pointing capability is relevant for aiming weapons, including the internal gun and missiles.
For WVR engagements, both aircraft typically employ the AIM-9X Sidewinder missile. The F-35A’s HMD, combined with its sensor system, supports the employment of the AIM-9X’s capabilities. These capabilities include high off-boresight (HOBS) targeting and Lock-On After Launch (LOAL). The pilot can cue and launch the missile by looking at the target information presented on the HMD, which is fed data from the DAS and EOTS.
The F-35A also incorporates low observable (LO) characteristics. These characteristics include reduced radar cross-section (RCS) and infrared (IR) signature. These features are relevant even within visual range as they complicate the ability of an opposing aircraft, such as the F-16 using its APG-83 radar, to maintain sensor lock and employ weapon guidance systems effectively during dynamic maneuvers.
F-16V Capabilities in WVR
The F-16V Viper is an agile aircraft and represents an advanced variant of the F-16 Fighting Falcon platform. It incorporates several system upgrades. It is equipped with the APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR), an AESA radar providing detection and tracking capabilities. It features the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS), which works with HOBS missiles like the AIM-9X. The F-16V is equipped with the AN/ALQ-254(V)1 Viper Shield electronic warfare suite.
The F-16V is armed with the M61A1 20mm Vulcan cannon. This gun has a high rate of fire and carries a substantial ammunition load of 500-511 rounds. This provides more firing duration compared to the F-35A’s gun. The F-16V also employs the AIM-9X missile, leveraging its JHMCS for HOBS capabilities.
The outcome of any single WVR engagement depends on numerous variables and pilot execution. However, the design characteristics of the F-35A are assessed as factors that shift the probability of success in the specific scenario defined (equal skill, WVR). The F-35A’s integrated sensor suite provides its pilot with an information state that is assessed as being advantageous at the commencement of and during the WVR engagement. The F-35A’s ability to retain kinematic performance under combat load conditions, facilitated by its internal fuel and partial internal weapons carriage and the power of the Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engine, along with its 50-degree AoA capability, contribute to its positioning and weapon employment opportunities. The low observable characteristics continue to present a challenge for the F-16V’s tracking and targeting systems even at visual ranges.
The F-16V possesses agility and features upgraded systems including the APG-83 SABR radar, JHMCS, and Viper Shield EW suite. Its M61A1 Vulcan cannon has a larger ammunition capacity than the F-35A’s GAU-22/A 25mm cannon, offering more opportunities in a prolonged gun engagement. However, the F-35A’s ability to process and display information from its sensors, enabling more frequent and varied AIM-9X engagement opportunities, is a significant factor.
My personal take is that the F-35A Lightning II’s design attributes, specifically its sensor integration providing comprehensive situational awareness via systems like the AN/AAQ-37 DAS and HMD, its kinematic performance under combat load, its high AoA capability, and its low observable features, collectively provide advantages in a WVR engagement. These factors increase the likelihood of the F-35A achieving a successful outcome against an F-16V Viper, assuming equal pilot skill in a close-quarters scenario.
However, the F-16V’s capabilities should still never be underestimated in a dogfight.
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