One of the most intriguing “what-ifs” in the entire field of aeronautical innovations might be the Northrop YF-23, which was known as the “Black Widow II”. Its carbon fiber outline, scorching speed, and state-of-the-art stealth features made it look like a vehicle from near space. Nevertheless, in the 1990s, the YF-23 lost to the YF-22 of Lockheed in the US Air Force’s Advanced Tactical Fighter Competition, the latter being the one that was later renamed as F-22 Raptor and put into service.
It wasn’t a decision that was made entirely or primarily based on performance figures. The factors that influenced the decision included a mixture of politics, potential for longevity, pilot’s trust, and aircraft’s agility, which weighed more towards the design of Lockheed.
The YF-23 was once and still is the boldest concept when all things were put down on paper. It was visually disruptive to the world of conventional aircraft. Besides this, it was faster and stealthier. However, the USAF was looking not only for a high performer but also a reliable partner for the next few decades.
F-22 was probably the better balanced option between performance and its less eye-catching radical design with no compromise on stealth, highly-capable avionics, sensor integration, and a modular architecture that allowed gradual technological enhancements. Though the benefits of the Northrop YF-23 are unquestionable, the latter’s arrangement appeared more difficult to adapt to future innovations.
Politics was a big factor, too. The most significant defense programs are rarely decided by the brilliance of the engineering side alone. The partnership with Boeing and General Dynamics gave Lockheed a political influence spread over a large area of the United States, so the work and the money would be distributed over several US states.
On the other hand, Northrop was being examined for the money problems on the B-2 Spirit program, and the history was working against them. The more profound connections of Lockheed and the Air Force helped increase confidence in its proposal.
Just as crucial was the feeling of the pilot. The proof of a good concept was in the test flights, where it had to show its efficiency in reality and not only in theory. Test flights developed better reliability and better breathing for the other forces to visualize a frontline fighter. Test flights gave the YF-22 better reliability and steadiness, making it simpler for the Air Force to perceive it as a frontline fighter. On the other hand, the YF-23 was perfectly capable but lacked the same degree of confidence to the extent that it could be rapidly converted into a combat-ready status.
The aspect of maneuvering was another feature that was used in making the final decision. The fighters’ local fight at that time depended largely on nimble moves, the close moves. Thus, the vectored thrust of F-22 gave it dogfighting capabilities, including rapid climbs, tighter turns, and breathtaking agility at near-stall speeds.
While the speed and stealth of YF-23 were both nozzle-optimized, its lack of agility was one grim trade-off. Its large vertical stabilizers made it very stable, yet it was less than the F-22 in close combat, which the veterans considered as very critical engagements.
At the same time, the Northrop test pilot, Paul Metz, while praising the YF-23 as an exceptional aircraft, nevertheless admitted that his company was having a difficult time promoting it. Conversely, Lockheed did not hesitate to demonstrate its aircraft with accuracy and without reservation, which made a long-lasting impression on the decision-makers. The performance competition was as much about presentation and long-term trust as it was about performance charts.
The YF-23 is just in museums and aviation geeks’ imaginations. Despite the fact that it was not further developed, its futuristic look and the debates that it still generates are arguments in its favor. The issue is still there: has the military chosen wisely by backing the F-22, or was it just going past one that could have revolutionized aerial combat? And the debate keeps on being there, as well as the notoriety of the Black Widow, making it the most talked-about plane among the ones that disappeared from the sky without having their advantage demonstrated.