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From: Al.Conte@EBay.Sun.COM (Al Conte)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: YF22 vs. YF23 Why?
Keywords: Technology at its best
Message-ID: <1991Apr24.054326.18229@amd.com>
Date: 23 Apr 91 15:56:03 GMT
Sender: military@amd.com
Organization: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
Lines: 32
Approved: military@amd.com


From: Al.Conte@EBay.Sun.COM (Al Conte)


Last night, I happended to be watching the McNeil Lehier News hour.
They had a piece on the current ATF programs status.  They said that
the decision as to which aircraft would be purchased would be made
today, 4:00 est.

As I watched the footage of both planes in flight, and during
manuevers, I felt very frustrated that one of these pieces of aircraft
art would loose the contract.  Both of these beauties should gain
contract status, (IMHO).

I could clearly see the bloodlines of the F177 in the Lockeed YF22.
The Northrop/ McDonald Douglass YF23, to me, had traces of F-15 vintage
in its design.

Both the YF22, and YF23 seemed to have taken different routes in using
stealth technology application with these birds.  Not being an aircraft
designer, I cannot state with ultimate confidence but, I would bet on
the YF23 being slightly more stealthy and aerodynamic than the YF22.

Still, both planes are a tribute to American technology, (they better
be at 51 million a copy).  I just wish we could have them both.  Hey,
maybe the Navy would be interested in the other.

Al Conte

	[One report said the cost of the winner, the YF22, was now
	 $108m apiece, another said it could be as high as $135m,
	 for a $95,000m total cost for 650 aircraft. --CDR]