| Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23 Black Widow II
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| Description
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| Role | prototype fighter
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| Crew | one, pilot
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| First Flight | August 27, 1990
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| Manufacturer | Northrop, McDonnell-Douglas
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| Dimensions
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| Length | 67 ft 5 in | 20.60 m
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| Wingspan | 43 ft 7 in | 13.30 m
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| Height | 13 ft 11 in | 4.30 m
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| Wing area | 948 ft² | 88m²
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| Weights
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| Empty | 32,934 lb | 14,970 kg
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| Loaded | 51,320 lb | 23,327 kg
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| Maximum takeoff | 64,000 lb | 29,029 kg
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| Capacity |
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| Powerplant
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| Engines | Tested with both
2x General Electric YF120 and
2x Pratt & Whitney YF119
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| Thrust | 60,000 lbf | 277 kN
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Performance
(approximate - not disclosed)
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| Maximum speed | 1,400+ mph | 2,240+ km/h
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| | Mach 2+
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| Supercruise speed | Mach 1.8 +
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| Unrefuelled range | 921 miles | 1,474 km
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| Service ceiling | 65,000+ ft | 19,800+ m
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| Rate of climb | ft/min | m/min
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| Wing loading | 54 lb/ft² | 265 kg/m²
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| Thrust/Weight | 1.4:1
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| Avionics
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| Avionics |
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| Armament
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| Guns | 1x 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon
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| Missiles | Up to 6x from a mix of
AIM-7 Sparrow
AIM-120 AMRAAM
AIM-9 Sidewinder
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The Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23 Black Widow II was a prototype fighter aircraft designed for the United States Air Force. It was passed over in favour of the YF-22 that has entered production as the F/A-22 Raptor.
The YF-22 and YF-23 were competing in the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter program. Conceived in the early 1980s, contracts for the two most promising designs were awarded in 1986, with the YF-23 delivered in 1989 and the evaluation concluded in 1991.
The YF-23 was designed with stealth as a high priority and was a highly unconventional-looking aircraft with diamond-shaped wings and a V-tail. Although the precise results of the evaluation are not yet public knowledge, it is often claimed that the YF-23 was faster, more maneuverable and stealthier than its competitor, but the USAF chose the YF-22 due to ease of production, maintenance, and potential for future development. On the other hand, some say that the YF-22 was chosen for its superior subsonic maneuverability due to thrust vectoring, and the YF-23's comparatively flawed weapons release mechanism. Regarding the latter: missiles were stacked on racks, and a weapons jam of a lower-positioned missile could prevent the firing of the missile above it. In any case, the decision is still widely debated.
Two aircraft were built. One is now an exhibit at the Western Museum of Flight in Hawthorne, California and the other at the Air Force Flight Test Center Museum at Edwards Air Force Base.
In late 2004, Northrop Grumman proposed a YF-23 based design for the USAF's interim bomber requirement, a role for which the FB-22 and B-1R are also competing.
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