Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!lll-winken!sun-barr!newstop!sun!amdcad!amdcad!military
From: john@newave.mn.org (John A. Weeks III)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: YF22 vs. YF23 Why?
Keywords: Technology at its best
Message-ID: <1991Apr29.052647.6205@amd.com>
Date: 24 Apr 91 23:27:17 GMT
References: <1991Apr24.054326.18229@amd.com>
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From: john@newave.mn.org (John A. Weeks III)


From: Al.Conte@EBay.Sun.COM (Al Conte)
> [ deleted intro to footage of YF-22/YF-23 ]
> Both of these beauties should gain contract status, (IMHO).

I preferred the YF-23, but nobody asked.  You cannot have both planes
as front line fighters at the current projected budget level.  Think
about the problems of having to supply spare parts for two different
planes to first line air units.  And then worry about two sets of
teething problems.

> I could clearly see the bloodlines of the F117 in the Lockeed YF22.

The YF-22 is supposedly the less stealthy of the two planes, and 
supposedly the hotter plane.  It also is supposed to manuver faster.

> The Northrop/ McDonald Douglass YF23, to me, had traces of F-15 vintage
> in its design.

The YF-23 was optimized for stealth, and reflects Northrups involvement
with the B-2 program.  Compare a front-on view of each plane.  The 23
has a much smaller "face print".  Also look at the intakes and exhaust
ports on the 23--very much like the B-2.  Finally, look at a side view
photo of each plane.  The 23 looks a lot thinner (top to bottom).

Like the F-117, both the YF-22 and YF-23 look different at every viewing
angle-- I could not get an accurate feel for what either plane looked 
like until I looked at a number of photos.

> I just wish we could have them both.  Hey, maybe the Navy would be 
> interested in the other.

Actually, I think (and the Pentagon seemed to confirm) that the YF-22
would make the better Navy plane.  The big unknown here is if either
plane could be Navalized without a total redesign.  I personally think
that the YF-23 is too good of a plane to put on the shelf, although
I also said this about the F-20 Tigershark.  Perhaps look for the F-23
as a fast stealty Air Force recon plane--the RF-23.  Any comments?

-- 
John A. Weeks III               (612) 942-6969             john@newave.mn.org
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