YF-22

YF-22. The YF-22 was a demonstration prototype developed for the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, a competition held by the United States Air Force in the late 1980s. Designed by the team of Lockheed, Boeing, and General Dynamics, it competed directly against the Northrop YF-23. The YF-22's design, which emphasized a balance of stealth, supermaneuverability, and supercruise performance, was selected as the winner in 1991, leading directly to the development of the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor.

Development and design

The YF-22 emerged from the Advanced Tactical Fighter program, initiated to counter advanced Soviet aircraft like the Mikoyan MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-27. The Lockheed-led team, which included Boeing and General Dynamics, proposed a design integrating new technologies from programs like the Have Blue demonstrator. Key design goals were achieving a very low radar cross-section, supercruise capability without using fuel-guzzling afterburners, and exceptional agility. The airframe featured diamond wings, chines along the fuselage, and canted vertical stabilizers, all contributing to its stealth characteristics. It was powered by two Pratt & Whitney YF119 or General Electric YF120 turbofan engines fitted with two-dimensional thrust vectoring nozzles to enhance maneuverability.

Testing and evaluation

The first of two prototypes, tail number 87-0700, made its maiden flight from Lockheed's facility in Palmdale, California on 29 September 1990, with test pilot Dave Ferguson at the controls. The flight test program, conducted primarily at Edwards Air Force Base, pitted the YF-22 against the Northrop YF-23 in a rigorous fly-off. The YF-22 demonstrated its supercruise capability, reaching Mach 1.58 without afterburners, and performed a series of spectacular maneuvers to showcase its supermaneuverability, including the now-famous "cobra maneuver." While the Northrop YF-23 was considered faster and stealthier, the United States Air Force ultimately judged the YF-22 to be more agile and adaptable, with a lower perceived technical risk for development into an operational weapon system.

Specifications (YF-22)

* **Crew:** 1 * **Length:** 64 ft 2 in (19.56 m) * **Wingspan:** 43 ft 0 in (13.11 m) * **Height:** 17 ft 9 in (5.41 m) * **Empty weight:** 31,000 lb (14,060 kg) * **Max takeoff weight:** 62,000 lb (28,123 kg) * **Powerplant:** 2 × Pratt & Whitney YF119 or General Electric YF120 afterburning turbofans, 23,500 lbf (104 kN) thrust each dry, 35,000 lbf (156 kN) with afterburner * **Maximum speed:** Mach 2.0+ at altitude * **Supercruise speed:** Mach 1.58 (demonstrated) * **Service ceiling:** 65,000 ft (19,812 m) * **Armament:** (Planned) 1 × 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon, internal bays for AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles

Legacy and influence

The selection of the YF-22 design in April 1991 led directly to the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase and the production of the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. The prototype itself was retired after the competition, with one airframe preserved at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The technological advancements proven by the YF-22, particularly in integrating stealth, supercruise, and thrust vectoring, set a new global standard for air superiority fighter design, influencing subsequent projects like the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. Its victory over the Northrop YF-23 remains a seminal event in modern military aviation history, defining the capabilities of the United States Air Force for decades.

Category:United States fighter aircraft 1990–1999 Category:Stealth aircraft Category:Lockheed aircraft Category:Boeing aircraft Category:General Dynamics aircraft