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Northrop YF-23 Fighter

Northrop YF-23 Fighter

Manufacturer: Northrop Grumman
Category: Fighter Jets
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Discontinued

Generation Fifth-generation fighter technology demonstrator
Maximum Speed Designed to exceed Mach 2
No. of Engines 2
Radar Range Not publicly established

Defense Systems Full Specifications

General Information

Name	Northrop YF-23
Manufacturer	Northrop and McDonnell Douglas
Country of Origin	United States
Type / Role	Experimental stealth air-superiority fighter
Generation	5th
Status	Retired prototypes
First Flight	August 27, 1990
Introduction / In Service Since	Never entered operational service
Number Built	2 prototypes
Operators	U.S. Air Force test program

Dimensions & Structure

Length	Approximately 20.55 m
Wingspan	Approximately 13.28 m
Height	Approximately 4.24 m
Wing Area	Approximately 83.6 m²
Empty Weight	No consistently verified public figure
Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW)	No reliably established public figure
Internal Weapons Bay	Proposed internal weapons bays
External Hardpoints	No operational configuration established

Performance

Maximum Speed	Designed to exceed Mach 2
Range	Exact verified figure unavailable
Combat Radius	Not established
Service Ceiling	No reliably established public figure
Rate of Climb	Not established
Thrust-to-Weight Ratio	Not reliably established
G Limits	No verified operational limit published

Powerplant

Engine Type	Afterburning turbofan
No. of Engines	2
Thrust (each)	Approximately 35,000 lbf class, depending on engine configuration
Thrust Vectoring	Evaluated as part of the propulsion design, with configuration differences between prototypes
Fuel Capacity	Not reliably established in public sources

Armament

Gun	No operational gun installation established
Missiles (Air-to-Air)	AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9 Sidewinder were associated with proposed armament concepts
Missiles (Air-to-Ground)	No verified operational integration
Bombs	No verified operational integration
Hardpoints	No operational hardpoint configuration established
Payload Capacity	Not established for operational service

Avionics & Systems

Radar	Planned advanced fighter radar; exact configuration not fully disclosed
Radar Range	Not publicly established
Electronic Warfare (EW) System	Planned integrated capability; detailed specifications unavailable
Targeting System	No complete operational targeting configuration established
Helmet Display	Not established as an operational system
Navigation	Experimental flight-test navigation systems
Autopilot / AI Assistance	No verified AI-assisted combat capability
Communication	Experimental test aircraft communications; complete operational configuration unavailable

Stealth & Technology

Radar Cross Section (RCS)	Classified or not publicly established
Stealth Features	Shaped airframe, internal weapons storage concept, reduced radar-signature design
Infrared Signature Reduction	Engine placement and exhaust design addressed signature-management objectives; verified reduction figures unavailable
Sensor Fusion	No verified production-level sensor-fusion configuration
Networking Capabilities	No verified operational networked-combat configuration

Variants

Special Export Versions

None

Operational History

Major Conflicts / Deployments	None
Notable Operators	U.S. Air Force test program
Combat Proven?	No
Mission Types	Experimental flight testing, air-superiority evaluation, stealth and propulsion testing

Cost & Program

Unit Cost	No production unit price
Development Cost	No reliably established standalone YF-23 program figure
Program Name	Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF)
Funding Countries	United States

Additional Information

Upgrades Planned	None for operational service
Future Replacement	The YF-22 was selected for development and became the F-22 Raptor
Export Restrictions	No export version; any technology transfer would have been subject to applicable U.S. controls
Notable Achievements	Demonstrated an alternative approach to stealth fighter aerodynamics and propulsion
Competitors	Lockheed YF-22

PROS

Stealth-focused airframe designed to reduce radar detection.
Designed for supersonic cruise without afterburner.
Twin-engine configuration supported high-performance flight.
Long-range air-superiority mission was a central design objective.
Advanced aerodynamic design offered valuable engineering lessons.

CONS

Lost the ATF competition and never entered production.
No operational combat record.
Radar range and radar cross-section figures are not publicly established.
No verified production payload or combat-radius specifications.
No established production price or operational maintenance record.

Northrop YF-23 Stealth Fighter Prototype

The Northrop YF-23 was an experimental stealth fighter developed to meet the U.S. Air Force’s Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) requirements during the late Cold War. Designed for air superiority, the aircraft combined low-observable shaping, high-speed performance, and long-range mission objectives. Its distinctive diamond-shaped wings, twin-engine layout, and V-shaped tail set it apart from conventional fighter designs.

The YF-23 competed against the Lockheed YF-22 in a program intended to produce a new generation of fighters capable of countering advanced threats. Although the prototype demonstrated promising flight characteristics, the Air Force selected the YF-22 in 1991. That decision led to the F-22 Raptor, while the YF-23 remained an important experimental aircraft in U.S. stealth aviation history.

Manufacturer

Northrop developed the YF-23 in partnership with McDonnell Douglas in the United States. Two prototypes were built, known as PAV-1 and PAV-2. The first used Pratt & Whitney YF119 engines, while the second featured General Electric YF120 engines. The competing powerplants helped evaluate propulsion options for the next-generation fighter program.

Speed and Range

The YF-23 was designed to exceed Mach 2 and support supercruise, meaning sustained supersonic flight without afterburner under suitable conditions. Its aerodynamic configuration emphasized efficient high-speed flight and long-range interception. However, verified operational range, combat radius, and service ceiling figures were never established for a production aircraft.

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The design incorporated proposed internal weapons bays to reduce radar visibility. Planned air-to-air armament included missiles such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM, but the YF-23 never entered operational service or completed an operational weapons integration program.

Cost/Price

The YF-23 has no established production unit price because the program ended before manufacturing began. Development spending was part of the wider ATF competition, and a reliable standalone development cost for the aircraft is not generally available. Its historical importance lies in its advanced design approach and its role in shaping the development of U.S. stealth fighters.

Variants

Variant	Description
PAV-1	First prototype, powered by Pratt & Whitney YF119 engines
PAV-2	Second prototype, powered by General Electric YF120 engines
Special Export Versions	None

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