Lockheed YF-22

YF-22 "Lightning II"
Role	Prototype fighter
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Lockheed Corporation / Boeing / General Dynamics
First flight	29 September 1990
Primary user	United States Air Force
Developed into	Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor

The Lockheed/Boeing/General Dynamics YF-22 was a prototype fighter aircraft designed for the United States Air Force. The YF-22 was a finalist in the United States Air Force's Advanced Tactical Fighter competition, and examples were built. The YF-22 won the contest against the Northrop YF-23, and entered production as the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. The YF-22 is similar to the F-22, but with differences in the cockpit, tail fins and wings.

Contents 1 Design and development 2 Specifications (YF-22)

Design and development

The USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program was conceived in the early 1980s, to provide a replacement for the F-15 Eagle.^[1] The Air Force issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the fighter in September 1985, then modified the RFP to include flying prototypes in the final selection.^[2] Proposals were submitted by Boeing, General Dynamics, Lockheed, Northrop, and McDonnell Douglas in July 1986.^[3] Lockheed and Northrop were selected in October 1986 for the demonstration phase, ending in a flyoff of prototypes. The companies had previously agreed to form the Lockheed/ General Dynamics/Boeing team and Northrop/McDonnell Douglas team.^[4]
The Lockheed team designed the YF-22 and the Northrop team designed the YF-23. Two examples of each prototype were built for the Demonstration-Validation phase: one with General Electric YF120 engines, the other with Pratt & Whitney YF119 engines.^[5][6]
The YF-22 was given the unofficial name "Lightning II", after the World War II fighter P-38, by Lockheed, which persisted until the mid-1990s when the USAF officially named the aircraft "Raptor".^[7] The F-35 later received the Lightning II name in 2006.^[8]
The YF-22 first flew on 29 September 1990.^[9] Flight testing began afterwards and added the second aircraft for each competitor in late October 1990.^[10] The YF-22 with GE engines achieved Mach 1.58 in supercruise.^[11] Flight testing continued until December 1990. Following flight testing, the contractor teams submitted proposals for ATF production.^[10]

Specifications (YF-22)

Note some specifications are estimated.