Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!att!cbnews!cbnews!military
From: ntaib@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Nur Iskandar Taib)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: YF-22 Launches Missiles First
Message-ID: <1990Dec28.031921.3008@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 28 Dec 90 03:19:21 GMT
References: <1990Dec19.010923.26217@cbnews.att.com> <1990Dec20.020228.29484@cbnews.att.com>
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker)
Organization: Indiana University, Bloomington
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Approved: military@att.att.com



From: ntaib@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Nur Iskandar Taib)
>>In the December issue of U.S. NEWS they have an article on the
>>YF-23 "Black Widow "  and the YF-22 "Lightning" the next generation
>>ATF "Advance tactical Fighter".  These 2 aircraft are in competition
>>for a 750 jet contract with the Air Force.

>>My question is, can these jets be used in combat? What
>>better way to find out how good these jets are than in actual
>>combat. Saudi Arabia  would be a real good testing ground on how they
>>would fair if a war broke out.

One aircraft that was badly delayed due to 
misuse of the prototype was the P-38 Lightning.
The first prototype was destroyed when the AAF
decided to use it to break a speed record or
two. As a result, the airplane was not ready 
for combat when the Air Force needed it, and 
fighter pilots in the Pacific had to make do 
with the inferior P-35s, P-39s and P-40s during
the first few months of the war.

(From Martin Caidin's book "Fork Tailed Devil")

--
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Iskandar Taib                        | The only thing worse than Peach ala
Internet: NTAIB@AQUA.UCS.INDIANA.EDU |    Frog is Frog ala Peach
Bitnet:   NTAIB@IUBACS               !
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