Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!sdd.hp.com!wuarchive!emory!att!cbnews!cbnews!military From: x35147d3@usma8.usma.edu (Bergman Charles CDT) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: YF-22 Launches Missiles First Message-ID: <1990Dec15.014914.17051@cbnews.att.com> Date: 15 Dec 90 01:49:14 GMT Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories Lines: 36 Approved: military@att.att.com From: x35147d3@usma8.usma.edu (Bergman Charles CDT) ATF Competition Update The Lockheed-Boeing-General Dynamics Advanced Tactical Fighter team's YF-22 Lighting II completed the first in flight launch of a missile a week ago at the China Lake Naval Weapons Test Center. This is a significant first for the YF-22 over the YF-23. The missile was an internally mounted, rail launched AIM-9 Sidewinder (probably an AIM-9L or AIM-9M). The race between the two competing teams has becoming very serious as some of the individual companys involved have their future at stake! The current Air Force plan is a winner-take-all deal for the ATF and for a follow on aircraft to be the NATF for the long term replacement of the F-14 Tomcat series. Some people bet that like the 1970s YF-16 - YF-17 competition, the Air Force might by one teams and the NAVY by the other teams upgrade for Naval warfare. I'd have to point out that the YF-22 appears to have a greater degree of adaptation to the carrier capability then the long and weak YF-23. We will see what happens. Northrop better get something out of either the B-2 or the YF-23 Black Widow II or else it might be up the creek! The basic production run for the Air Force winner should start producing by 1996 and extend for some years to a total of 750 airframes. Big Bucks at stake! Charles K. Bergman x35147d3@usma8.usma.edu ************************************* CDT USMA'93 * Peace through superior firepower! * P.O. Box 54, U.S.C.C. ************************************* West Point, NY 10997