The Northrop YF-23 was in the competition, head-to-head with the demonstrator version of the F-22, and the Northrop/McDonnell Douglas team came up with a very impressive aircraft.
Several experimental US aircraft pushed aeronautical limits, but never saw service. The F-15 STOL MTD, the F-16XL, and the F-18 HARV to name a few. But there is one experimental aircraft that stands out above all the others for its cutting-edge design.
The Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23 is an American single-seat, twin-engine, stealth fighter technology demonstrator prototype designed for the United States Air Force (USAF). The design team, with Northrop as the prime contractor, was a finalist in the USAF’s Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) demonstration/validation competition, battling the YF-22 team for full-scale development and production. Two YF-23 prototypes were built.
In the 1980s, the USAF began looking for a replacement for its F-15 fighter aircraft to more effectively counter the Soviet Union’s advanced Sukhoi Su-27 and Mikoyan MiG-29. Several companies submitted design proposals; the USAF selected proposals from Northrop and Lockheed. Northrop teamed up with McDonnell Douglas to develop the YF-23, while Lockheed, Boeing, and General Dynamics developed the YF-22. The YF-23 was stealthier and faster, but less agile than its competitor.
After a four-year development and evaluation process, the YF-22 team was announced as the winner in 1991 and developed the F-22 Raptor, which first flew in 1997 and entered service in 2005. The U.S. Navy considered using a naval version of the ATF as a replacement to the F-14, but these plans were later canceled due to costs.
Top view of the Northrop-McDonnell Douglas YF-23 in flight. Photo – U.S. Air Force
After flight testing, both YF-23s were placed in storage while plans were considered by various agencies to use them for further research, although none proceeded. In 2004, Northrop Grumman used the second YF-23 as a display model for its proposed regional bomber aircraft, but this project was dropped because longer range bombers were required.
The two YF-23 prototypes are currently exhibits at the National Museum of the United States Air Force and the Western Museum of Flight respectively.
Top Photo: The two YF-23s flying over the Mojave Desert. They were nicknamed “Spider” (foreground), and “Gray Ghost” (background)
Sources: Wikipedia; YouTube