The Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23 was a competitor in the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) competition that would see the development of a 5th generation fighter, radically different from other planes made for the US Air Force (USAF). Despite choosing the F-22 Raptor, it was not forgotten for what it offered as an advanced fighter.
Way back in 1991, the USAF had two front runners in search for the next acquisition that will be used to blunt the USSR during the cold war. There were two prototypes built for the ATF.
In the end, it was the Raptor that got the military's contract, but the plane which lost was not totally consigned to obscurity.
Air superiority to a tee!
It is a fact that the YF-23 did not get the contract, but the designers knew their stealth inspire design was better than its competitor, reported the Nationalist Interest.
According to the USAF, they decided on the Lockheed design on the basis of the development program with lesser upkeep of its Raptor.
During the ATF competition, Northrop was not on good terms with the Pentagon and the US Congress due to extra expenses with the B-2 Spirit project cited Air Force Technology, also other projects that were affected as well.
Then Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), said that McDonnell had problems. He added that Northrop was not too transparent in dealing with USAF, which did not sit well. One of the factors that may have shut down the Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23 as the final choice is the politics in the background.
What if it turned out to be different?
The competitor of the YF-22 had high hopes, but it lost so the Raptor is the reality. But, the YF-23 has made a mark despite losing in the ATF competition.
One of the defining features of the YF-23 is the power plant,that is a General Electric jet engine. Its performance was a notch over the engine of the second prototype that was powered by a Pratt & Whitney YF119.
Characteristics of the X-plane is the inclusion of supercruise, low radar visibility, but lacked agility when flying at subsonic speeds.
A comparison of the YF-22 and YF-23 has a similar Angle of Attack which is sixty degrees, with no application of thrust vectoring. The V-tail design for the rudders was part of the unstable airframe.
One insider in the ATF competition said that the Raptor was more agile at lower airspeeds. Later, dynamic low speed, and high AOA maneuvering was studied.
At one point, the Lockheed team got ahead by doing action during demos that its competitor ignored. It made the military take notice. If the Northrop team decided on the same demo, it would be a different ending.
Why the YF-23 could be the better choice.
History chose the YF-22 as the winner, but some arguments say the F-23 would have some advantages. The Raptor can fly, but its competitor was a radically different airframe altogether that would give adversaries a run for their money.
The Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23 had better range when in supersonic, with the YF120 engine, cited GE. Its stealth would be better and maneuverable like the Raptor as well.
It's enough to say the F-23 were similar, F-22 inherited its opponent's radar. Many still think the wrong plane was chosen in the ATF.
