Editing Lockheed YF-22 (section)

{{Short description|Prototype demonstrator aircraft for the U.S. Air Force Advanced Tactical Fighter program}}
{{redirect|YF-22|the YF-22 rocket engine|YF-20}}
{{use American English|date=September 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
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{{Infobox aircraft
 |name= YF-22
 |image= File:YF-22A Advanced Technology Fighter.jpg
 |caption=A YF-22 during a test flight
 |type= [[Stealth aircraft|Stealth]] [[Fighter aircraft|fighter]] technology demonstrator
 |national_origin= United States
 |manufacturer= [[Lockheed Corporation|Lockheed]] / [[Boeing]] / [[General Dynamics]]
 |designer =
 |first_flight= 29 September 1990
 |status= Retired
 |produced= 1989–1990
 |introduction =
 |retired=
 |number_built= 2
 |primary_user= [[United States Air Force]]
 |more_users=
 |unit cost=
 |developed_from=
 |variants=
 |developed_into= [[Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor]]
}}

The '''Lockheed/<wbr>Boeing/<wbr>General Dynamics YF-22''' is an American single-seat, [[twinjet|twin-engine]], [[stealth aircraft|stealth]] [[fighter aircraft|fighter]] [[technology demonstrator]] prototype designed for the [[United States Air Force]] (USAF). The design team, with Lockheed as the prime contractor, was a finalist in the USAF's [[Advanced Tactical Fighter]] (ATF) competition, and two prototypes were built for the demonstration/validation phase. The YF-22 team won the contest against the [[Northrop YF-23|YF-23]] team for full-scale development and the design was developed into the [[Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor|Lockheed Martin F-22]].<ref group=N>[[Lockheed Corporation|Lockheed]] merged with [[Martin Marietta]] in 1995 to form [[Lockheed Martin]].</ref> The YF-22 has a similar aerodynamic layout and configuration as the F-22, but with notable differences in the overall shaping such as the position and design of the cockpit, tail fins and wings, and in internal structural layout.

In the 1980s, the USAF began looking for a replacement for its fighter aircraft to counter emerging threats such as the advanced Soviet [[Sukhoi Su-27|Su-27]] and [[Mikoyan MiG-29|MiG-29]]. A number of companies submitted their proposals, with the competition narrowing down to Lockheed and [[Northrop Corporation|Northrop]] as the two finalists for demonstration/validation. Northrop teamed with [[McDonnell Douglas]] to develop the YF-23; Lockheed teamed with Boeing and General Dynamics to develop the YF-22, which, although marginally slower and having a larger [[radar cross-section]], was more agile than the YF-23. The Lockheed team was picked by the Air Force as the winner of the ATF competition in April 1991. The U.S. Navy considered adopting a naval version of the ATF, but these plans were later canceled due to cost.

Following the selection, the first prototype was retired as an exhibit at the [[Air Force Flight Test Museum]], while the second continued flight testing until an accident relegated it to the role of an antenna test vehicle and it was later stored.