north american north american proposed long range high speed aircraft designed north american aviation intended defend united_states soviet strategic bombers aircraft cruised speeds mph combat radius nautical miles equipped radar missiles offering engagement ranges miles bomber sized targets limit development costs program shared engine development strategic bomber program number elements earlier projects program progressed far construction single wooden cancelled shortage funds soviets adoption missiles primary means nuclear attack flown heaviest fighter era development early 1950s proposed high performance long range july formal development known experimental approved planned delta dagger delta replacement specification laid october calling fly speed mph range miles man crew engines consideration integrated fire control system fitted allowing interception bomber nmi targets destroyed single mission interested companies contracts preliminary studies issued lockheed october days specification release paper designs north american proposal dubbed promising shared similarities obvious differences additions horizontal political budgetary difficulties led cancellation program considerable confusion program reinstated april north american awarded contract prototypes designation issued known weapon system north american company designation basically identical time anticipated order aircraft resulting design went considerable evolution owing cutting edge technology continual requirements early revisions prominently featured span wing sweep aircraft configuration maximum takeoff weight feet operational ceiling addition role north american proposed escort fighter bomber prototype bomber included escape capsule engines role considered gap system great speed square miles km2 hour september substantial engineering design changes implemented sac lost interest escort fighter concept accompany way target initial concept best marginal range december aircraft order reduced test aircraft test flight delayed february april eventual design built sized displayed air_force officials january project given following contest asking airmen suggestions cancellation program progressing signs ultimately lead eventual cancellation unconfirmed soviet bomber threats overwhelming trend offensive defensive nuclear missiles late 1950s early 1960s rising costs contributed termination cancellation announced september north american continued design hopes program revived despite extra money time spent wholly vain reconnaissance bomber developed retained fuselage weapon package systems design ways seen successful application design principles design continue development advanced fire control system missile development radar missiles continued system eventually lockheed program final configuration rear cockpit looked similar incorporated displays controls required hughes fire control system design initial configuration featured large delta wing fixed ventral wings mounted mid span tall moving vertical supplemented ventral extended landing gear retracted earlier versions design separate forward abandoned final design large fuselage wing fuel tanks respectively giving estimated combat radius nautical miles speed estimated miles hour feet aircraft powered general_electric engines north american bomber fuselage intended carry hughes radar pulse radar set look shoot capability track target time radar paired red search tracking system wing leading edges radar guide hughes later redesignated air air missile carried internal weapons bay large long range weapon radar set terminal intended fly range miles target design high speed aerial target use testing weapons system proposed requested designation target design request denied early stage development program cancelled work undertaken specifications data characteristics crew length wingspan height wing area weight max takeoff weight powerplant dry thrust lbf thrust lbf performance maximum speed mph range nmi combat ferry range nmi service ceiling wing loading thrust weight armament guns cannon missiles hughes air air missiles weapons bay bombs
North American XF-108 Rapier