Northrop YF-23: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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===Evaluation===

The first YF-23, with Pratt & Whitney engines, supercruised at Mach&nbsp;1.43 on 18 September 1990, while the second, with General Electric engines, reached Mach&nbsp;1.72 on 29 November 1990.{{refn|The YF-23 with the General Electric engines was stated to have been able to supercruise at over Mach 1.6, and estimates from General Electric engineers suggest that the top supercruise speed was as high as Mach 1.8.{{sfn|Sweetman|1991a|p=55}}{{sfn|Chong|2016|pp=237-238}}|group=N|name="supercruise_speed"}} By comparison, the YF-22 achieved Mach 1.58 in supercruise.{{Sfn|Goodall|1992|pp=102-103}} The YF-23 was tested to a top speed of Mach 1.8 with afterburners and achieved a maximum angle-of-attack of 25°.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=1991-01-14 |title=YF-23 would undergo subtle changes if it wins competition. |url=https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&sw=w&issn=08890404&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA9371744&sid=googleScholar&linkaccess=abs |journal=Defense Daily |language=English |volume=170 |issue=8 |pages=62–63 |via=Gale}}</ref> The maximum speed is classified, though sources state a speed greater than Mach 2 at altitude in full afterburner.<ref name="test_pilot_interview">{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vpkv1ErWIf8 |title=YF-23 DEM/VAL Presentation by Test Pilots Paul Metz and Jim Sandberg |date=27 August 2015 |publisher=Peninsula Seniors Production |location=Western Museum of Flight |access-date= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231014142723/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vpkv1ErWIf8 |archive-date=14 October 2023 |people=Paul Metz, Jim Sandberg}}</ref>{{Sfn|Aronstein|Hirschberg|Piccirillo|1998|p=136}} The aircraft's weapons bay was configured for weapons launch, and used for testing weapons bay acoustics, but no missiles were fired; Lockheed fired [[AIM-9 Sidewinder]] and [[AIM-120 AMRAAM]] missiles successfully from its YF-22 demonstration aircraft. PAV-1 performed a fast-paced combat demonstration with six flights over a 10-hour period on 30 November 1990. Flight testing continued into December.{{Sfn|Miller|2005|pp=36, 39}} The two YF-23s flew 50 times for a total of 65.2 hours.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Norris |first=Guy |title=NASA could rescue redundant YF-23s |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1991/1991%20-%201440.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521184547/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1991/1991%20-%201440.html |archive-date=21 May 2011 |website=[[Flight International]] |series=5 - 11 June 1991 |page=16}}</ref> The tests demonstrated Northrop's predicted performance values for the YF-23.{{Sfn|Miller|2005|pp=38-39}} Both designs met or exceeded all performance requirements; the YF-23 was stealthier and faster, but the YF-22 was more agile.{{Sfn|Goodall|1992|p=110}}{{Sfn|Sweetman|1991a|p=55}}

[[File:YF-22 and YF-23.jpg|thumb|A YF-22 in the foreground with a YF-23 in the background|alt=Lockheed Martin's YF-22 is at the center of the picture, while the YF-23 "Spider" is at its left]]

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|max speed mach=2.2 (1,450&nbsp;mph, 2,335&nbsp;km/h) at high altitude

|cruise speed kts=

|cruise speed note=*'''Supercruise''': Mach 1.72 (1,135&nbsp;mph, 1,827&nbsp;km/h) at altitude<ref group=N name="supercruise_speed"/>

|stall speed kts=

|stall speed note=