The Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23, popularly called the Black Widow, was also a very modern contestant during the late 1980s in the U.S. Air Force’s Advanced Tactical Fighter, or ATF, program. Created to be a counterpart to the Soviet Union’s Sukhoi Su-27 and Mikoyan MiG-29, the YF-23 featured a peculiar, stealthy appearance with diamond-shaped wings and an airframe that was almost pancake-like in appearance, which reduced the level of both aerodynamic drag and radar detection.
Two prototypes were built, each with different experimental engines. These prototypes were capable of remarkable speeds, stealth, and range. The YF-23 could supercruise capable of maintaining supersonic speeds without afterburners was fitted with internal bays to carry advanced air-to-air missiles. Even though it was much faster, had a longer combat radius, and was stealthier than the others, the YF-23 became overshadowed by the YF-22 “Lightning II” in agility critical factor in close dogfighting. Ultimately, the Air Force selected the YF-22, which eventually became the F-22 Raptor, but that was not a result of the YF-23 being some sort of inferior design; rather, it was because the YF-22 proved better for the mission.
The YF-23 design differed from that of the YF-22 with its “almost pancake-like airframe structure with blended wing elements.” The diamond-shaped wings were designed to help reduce aerodynamic drag at transonic speeds. The two prototypes were fitted with the Pratt & Whitney YF199 engines and the General Electric YF120, respectively. PAV-1 was painted charcoal gray and nicknamed “Spider” or “Black Widow II,” this name was in honor of the Northrop P-61 Black Widow flown during World War II. PAV-2 had a two-shade gray paint scheme and the nickname “Gray Ghost,” showing how easily this design could be adapted.
YF-23 was armed with a fixed 20mm M61 Vulcan, and its internal bays were capable of carrying four AIM-7 Sparrow or AIM-120 AMRAAM medium-range air-to-air missiles, together with a pair of AIM-9 short-range missiles. Its low profile and special skin material made it practically invisible to the radar systems of the period.
In a face-to-face competition, the YF-23 proved to be very evenly matched with the YF-22. While it carried a top speed of 1,451 mph against the 1,599 mph top speed of the YF-22, the range for the Northrop design was longer, stretching to 2,796 miles maximum range and with a ceiling of 65,000 feet. Comparatively, the YF-22 had a range of 2,000 miles and a ceiling of 50,000 feet. Eventually, the Air Force was won over by the greater dogfighting agility of the YF-22.
The YF-23 was not a bad design, simply outclassed by one competitor that was only a little better. This competition speaks volumes about the level of innovation and engineering involved in military aviation during this era.