Time Period: Post-WW2
Country of Origin: United States
Type: Fighter Aircraft (Stealth Fighter Technology Demonstrator)
Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin
Lockheed YF-22 Aircraft Overview
The Lockheed YF-22 is a prototype fighter aircraft developed by Lockheed Martin in the late 1980s as part of the United States Air Force’s Advanced Tactical Fighter program. It was designed to be a successor to the F-15 Eagle and was in direct competition with the Northrop YF-23 for selection as the Air Force’s next-generation fighter.
The YF-22 was a single-seat, twin-engine aircraft that featured advanced technologies, including advanced composite materials, fly-by-wire flight controls, and a sophisticated avionics system. Its main armament consisted of two internal 20mm M61 Vulcan cannons and a variety of air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles and bombs.
After a series of flight tests and evaluations, the YF-22 was selected over the YF-23 to become the Air Force’s next-generation fighter, which would eventually become the F-22 Raptor. The F-22 entered service with the United States Air Force in 2005 and has since become one of the most advanced and capable fighter aircraft in the world.
Lockheed YF-22 Specifications
- Crew: 1 (pilot)
- Length: 64 ft 6 in (19.65 m)
- Wingspan: 43 ft 0 in (13.1 m)
- Height: 17 ft 9 in (5.39 m)
- Wing area: 830 sq ft (77.1 m2)
- Empty weight: 33,000 lb (14,970 kg)
- Gross weight: 62,000 lb (28,120 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney YF119-PW-100 or General Electric YF120-GE-100 afterburning turbofans, 23,500 lbf (105 kN) thrust each (YF120) dry, 30,000 or 35,000 lbf (130 or 160 kN) with afterburner
Lockheed YF-22 Performance
- Maximum speed: Mach 2.2 (1,450 mph, 2,335 km/h) at altitude
- Supercruise: Mach 1.58 (1,040 mph, 1,680 km/h) at altitude (military power only)
- Combat range: 800 mi (1,290 km, 696 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 65,000 ft (19,800 m)
- Maximum g-load: +7.9 g
