lockheed lockheed american single seat twin engine fighter aircraft technology designed united_states_air_force design finalist advanced tactical fighter competition prototypes built demonstration phase competition won contest entered production lockheed martin similar aerodynamic layout configuration differences position design cockpit tail fins wings internal structural layout 1980s began looking replacement fighter aircraft especially counter advanced number companies divided teams submitted proposals submitted lockheed boeing proposed built marginally slower having larger radar cross section primarily reason picked air_force winner april following selection retired museum second prototype continued flying accident relegated role antenna test vehicle design development developed requirement advanced tactical fighter new air superiority fighter replace eagle crucial emerging worldwide threats including development soviet fighter aircraft advantage new technologies fighter design horizon including composite materials lightweight advanced flight control systems powerful propulsion systems stealth technology air_force sent technical requests proposals number aircraft manufacturing teams formal request proposal issued july contractor teams lockheed boeing selected october undertake month demonstration phase culminating flight test teams prototypes designed meet requirements stealth ease maintenance lockheed submission selected winners company division assumed leadership program partners responsible forward cockpit fuselage final assembly california wings aft fuselage built boeing center fuselage weapons bays tail landing gears built compared counterpart conventional design wings larger control surfaces span trailing edge tail surfaces counterpart examples prototype air vehicle built demonstration phase engines engines given unofficial lightning lockheed world war era fighter lightning persisted mid-1990s officially named aircraft later received serial number rolled august flew september taking piloted minute flight reached maximum speed knots mph height feet landing edwards following flight said remainder test program concentrated second maiden flight october hands operational history evaluation flight test program unlike weapon high angle attack high alpha flights carried requirement aircraft fired missiles internal weapon bays flight testing demonstrated thrust achieved pitch rates double low speed maneuvering prototype achieved reached maximum speed maximum speed excess flight testing continued december time flights completed airborne hours accumulated following flight testing contractor teams submitted proposals production april announced secretary winner competition design faster speculated aviation press seen navy navy abandoned instead retired case subsequently flew sorties following competition amassed flying hours flights april aircraft sustained damage landing attempt result pilot induced repaired flew instead served static test vehicle anticipated production production lockheed team won competition awarded engineering manufacturing development contract ultimately allow proceed production operational aircraft called seven single seat twin seat april spirit america rolled ceremony officially named limited funding flight previously scheduled occurred september flight testing continued december announced reached initial operational capability respects different production contrary initially difficult control small vertical lockheed specified fin area company reduced size percent lockheed shape wing trailing edges improve strength stealth characteristics wing sweep reduced finally improve pilot visibility canopy moved forward inches engine moved inches aircraft disposition air force flight test center museum edwards air force base california lockheed static test model specifications note specifications estimated data baker characteristics crew pilot length wingspan height wing area weight loaded weight powerplant general_electric dry thrust lbf thrust lbf lbf performance maximum speed altitude knots mph knots mph military power combat radius nmi service ceiling maximum load
Lockheed YF-22