YF-23A 'Black Widow II'

YF-23A 'Black Widow II'
- Advanced Prototype Fighter -

- YF-23A Image A - Fox Four Force Image A - Fox Four Force Image B -
Fox Four Force Image C - Fox Four Force Image D -

Origin: (Real World)
United States of America

Games Featured In:
Air Combat
Ace Combat 2
Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War
Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War
Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception
Ace Combat: Joint Assault

Operators:
"A World With No Boundaries"
Aurelian Air Force
Belkan Air Force
Golden Axe Plan Private Army
Leasath Air Force
Martinez Security
Osean Air Defense Force
Special Tactical Fighter Squadron "Scarface"
Terrorist Air Force
Usean Rebel Air Force
Ustian Air Force

Ace Squadrons / Pilots:
Martin / STFS (AC)
Fox Force Four flight / URAF (AC2)
Grani / BAF (ACZ)
Lilie / BAF (ACZ)
Slon / AWWNB (ACZ)
Wizard Squadron / AWWNB (ACZ)
Falco / AAF (ACX)
Spider / LAF (ACX)
Bloodstone / GAPPA (ACJA)

Armament:
Gun / 1 x 20mm M61A1 Vulcan Cannon
Standard Missiles / AIM-9M Sidewinder
BDSP / [unknown] (ACZ/ACX)
NPB / Mk.77 (ACZ/ACX)
QAAM / AIM-9X Sidewinder (AC5/ACZ/ACX)

Air Combat Stats:
Stability: 10
Defense: 90
Offense: 10
Power: 100
Mobility: 50

Ace Combat 2 Stats:
Power: 90
Defense: 60
Mobility: 60
Stability: 90
Climbing Ability: 80
Air-to-Air: 80
Air-to-Ground: 80

Ace Combat 5 Stats:
Speed: 83
Mobility: 83
Stability: 80
Defense: 66
Air-to-Air: 94
Air-to-Ground: 58

Ace Combat Zero Stats:
Speed: 83
Mobility: 83
Stability: 80
Defense: 66
Air-to-Air: 94
Air-to-Ground: 58

Overview:
The Northrop and McDonnell Douglas proposal for the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter was the YF-23, which lost out to the Lockheed Martin/Boeing's YF-22. The YF-23 is a strange, alien looking plane, but it was rumoured to have performed well against the YF-22. The YF-23 first flew on August 27, 1990 and the two prototypes logged 219 flight hours in 23 months. The two prototypes were distinguished by color and engines; the first was dark grey and had Pratt & Whitney YF-119 engines, while the second was silver and had General Electric YF-120 engines.

The YF-23 was claimed to be cheaper than the YF-22 by Northrop because it used parts from existing aircraft (nosewheel and forward cockpit from an F-15E and main undercarriage from an F/A-18). Despite the company's claims that its design was better, the YF-23 was really only marginally better in some ways than the F-22. It was slightly faster (Mach 1.8 compared to the YF-22's Mach 1.7), somewhat stealthier (40% Radar cross-section to the YF-22's 50% RCS), and had a slightly larger payload (6 AIM-120s and 4 AIM-9s compared to the F-22's 4 AIM-120s and 4 AIM-9s). Northrop also claimed that the YF-22's only advantages were in manoeuvrability due to its thrust-vectoring (the YF-23 did not have this, it had a fixed lower ramp with a moveable upper one designed with stealth in mind). Also, the U.S. Navy was also more interested in the YF-22 due to its allegedly better adaptability to its Naval Advanced Tactical Fighter program that it was holding.

Rumour has it that it was Lockheed's industrial performance that made the Pentagon choose the YF-22 over the YF-23. Northrop's B-2 was delayed and overrunning its budget and McDonnell Douglas was having problems with the eventually cancelled A-12 Avenger naval bomber. Lockheed, on the other hand, had delivered the F-117 Nighthawk project on-time and under budget. The US Air Force and the Pentagon, however, refuse to comment on the choice and the decision was final. The YF-23's name, Black Widow, was first used on the Northrop P-61, a twin-engined World War II night-fighter that resembled the Lockheed P-38 Lightning (the Lockheed YF-22 was originally called the Lightning II, before being changed to - for a short period of time - Rapier, and eventually, Raptor). The YF-23 was also nicknamed "The Grey Ghost."

In 2004, the YF-23 design was considered for the USAF’s "Regional Bomber" program, along with other proposed aircraft such as the B-1R and the FB-22. As of 2007 however, the project has been put on hold for the time being.

Sources:
Ace Combat Series (In Game Data)
Global Security: YF-23A "Black Widow"

Accreditation:
Original Article By: AeroAceX01