✈️ Northrop YF-23 “Black Widow II” — Review

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🧩 Overview

The Northrop YF-23 was a stealth fighter prototype built to compete in the U.S. Air Force’s Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, which aimed to find a next-generation air superiority jet to replace the F-15 Eagle.

Two prototypes were made and flown in the early 1990s. Though it lost to Lockheed Martin’s YF-22 (now the F-22 Raptor), the YF-23 is still widely admired for its futuristic looks, high speed, stealth, and low radar cross-section.

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⚙️ Specifications

• First flight: August 27, 1990

• Status: Canceled (2 prototypes built)

• Crew: 1 (pilot)

• Length: 67.5 ft (20.6 m)

• Wingspan: 43 ft (13.1 m)

• Max speed: Estimated Mach 2.2+

• Cruise speed (supercruise): Mach 1.6 (without afterburner)

• Range: ~2,800 miles (4,500 km)

• Ceiling: Over 65,000 ft (19,800 m)

• Engines:

  • YF-23A PAV-1: Pratt & Whitney YF119

  • YF-23A PAV-2: General Electric YF120

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🛠 Design Features

• Diamond-shaped wing and V-tail: Designed for stealth and reduced drag

• Curved body and blended fuselage: Extremely low radar signature

• Internal weapons bay: Maintains stealth during combat

• Fixed engine nozzles: Sacrificed thrust-vectoring for reduced IR and radar signature

• Supercruise: Could fly faster than Mach 1 without afterburners

Its smooth, curved surfaces made it stealthier than the YF-22 and arguably even stealthier than the eventual F-22 itself.

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🧱 Strengths

• ✅ Superior stealth shaping and radar avoidance

• ✅ Higher top speed and better range than YF-22

• ✅ Supercruise capability at Mach 1.6

• ✅ Futuristic design that still looks advanced today

• ✅ Extremely quiet and cool exhaust signature (infrared stealth)

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⚠️ Weaknesses

• ❌ Lacked thrust vectoring, so it was less agile than the YF-22

• ❌ Complex and expensive to manufacture

• ❌ Less political and industrial support than Lockheed’s bid

• ❌ Never reached full weapons integration stage

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🏆 Why It Lost to the YF-22

The Air Force prioritized:

• Maneuverability (for dogfighting)

• Thrust vectoring (which YF-22 had)

• Logistics and industrial readiness (Lockheed’s F-22 team had stronger backing)

Even though the YF-23 may have been stealthier and faster, the F-22 was considered more agile and better suited to air combat doctrine at the time.

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🏁 Final Verdict

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🔚 Final Thoughts

The YF-23 “Black Widow II” is a masterpiece of design — quiet, sleek, and formidable. Though it lost the JSF race, it remains a favorite among aviation enthusiasts and engineers for its blended aerodynamics, stealth-first philosophy, and futuristic aesthetic.

Some of its technologies lived on — influencing later programs like the B-2 Spirit, NGAD, and possibly even future sixth-generation fighters.