Aircrafttotal Encyclopedia


General information
Type	Stealth fighter technology demonstrator
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Northrop/McDonnell Douglas
Status	Canceled
Primary user	United States Air Force
Number built	2
History
Manufactured	1989–1990
First flight	27 August 1990

The Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23 is an American single-seat, twin-engine, supersonic stealth fighter aircraft technology demonstrator designed for the United States Air Force (USAF). The design was a finalist in the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) competition, battling the Lockheed YF-22 for a production contract. Two YF-23 prototype air vehicles were built.

Design

A front view of PAV-1 87–0800 showing the curving exterior of the design.

The YF-23A was a prototype air vehicle intended to demonstrate the viability of Northrop's ATF proposal, which was designed to meet USAF requirements for survivability, supercruise, stealth, and ease of maintenance. Owing to its continual maturation from the initial HSF concept which it still greatly resembled, the YF-23's shaping was highly refined. It was an unconventional-looking aircraft, with diamond-shaped wings tapered symmetrically (edges swept 40° front and back), a profile with substantial area-ruling to reduce wave drag, and all-moving V-tails, or "ruddervators". The cockpit was placed high, near the nose of the aircraft, for good visibility for the pilot. The chiseled shape of the nose, with its sharp chine edges, generated vortices to improve high angle of attack (AoA) characteristics. The aircraft featured a tricycle landing gear configuration with a nose landing gear leg and two main landing gear legs. The aerial refueling receptacle was centered on the spine of the forward fuselage. A single large weapons bay was placed on the underside of the fuselage between the nose and main landing gear. The cockpit had a center stick and side throttles.f

Northrop/Grumman Stealth Aircraft

Northrop/Grumman Airplanes
Northrop YF-23 Black Widow
First flight 27 August 1990 Produced 1989–1990

General characteristics

Crew: 1 Length: 67 ft 5 in (20.55 m)Wingspan: 43 ft 7 in (13.28 m)Height: 13 ft 11 in (4.24 m)
Wing area: 900 sq ft (84 m2)
Empty weight: 29,000 lb (13,154 kg)

Powerplant

Gross weight: 51,320 lb (23,278 kg)
Max takeoff weight: (28,123 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney YF119 or General Electric YF120 afterburning turbofan engines, 35,000 lbf (160 kN) with afterburner

Specifications

Maximum speed: Mach 2.2 (1,450 mph, 2,335 km/h) at high altitude
Supercruise: Mach 1.72 at altitude Range: (2,789 mi, 4,489 km)
Combat range: 651–695 nmi (749–800 mi, 1,206–1,287 km)
Service ceiling: 65,000 ft (20,000 m)
Wing loading: 57 lb/sq ft (280 kg/m2)
Thrust/weight: 1.36

Armament

None as tested but provisions made for:
1 × 20 mm (0.79 in) M61 Vulcan cannon
4 × AIM-120 AMRAAM or AIM-7 Sparrow medium-range air-to-air missiles
2 × AIM-9 Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles and more Wiki Link

Special Links Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23

Links to Youtube & Others

American reconnaissance satellites first spotted the advanced Soviet Su-27 and MiG-29 fighter prototypes in 1978, which caused concern in the U.S. Both Soviet models were expected to reduce the maneuverability advantage of contemporary US fighter aircraft.

Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23

The Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23 is an American single-seat, twin-engine, supersonic stealth fighter aircraft technology demonstrator designed for the United States Air Force.

Youtube Link

The Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23, is an American single-seat, twin-engine stealth fighter aircraft technology demonstrator designed for the United States Air Force.

Northrop
YF-23A Black Widow
First flight 27 August 1990
Produced 1989–1990

Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23