Make sense, I found out the real reason the Airforce didn't pick the YF-23 it was because even though it was a major leap in technology. It costed even more then the F/A-22 and the reason they chose the F-22 is because it was less of a risk copared to the YF-23. I also would like to know that info about F-22 but you obviously aren't going to tell me but i really want to know it though.

I would chose the F-23 over the F-22 any day of the week. The F-22 is a fine aircraft but to me looks like an F-15 and an F-18 got together and had a kid. The F-23 is from my reading about it, to me, is far superior in speed and stealth. If the Air Force really wanted to have total supremacy of the air in future conflicts they should have gone with a 50/50 buy of both airframes. Meaning, their strengths could complement each other in a fight. F-22 maneuverability and F-23 for its speed and stealth. I'm sure they could have worked out something with the manufacturers, (cost and what not) I don't want to forget to include that GE should have won their competition as well. I think some of their innovations in jet engine technology would have been better. I am an active Air Force jet engine mechanic for 15 years now and have worked TF-34-100A (A-10A), TF-33-P3 and 103 (B-52H), F-108 or CFM56-2B (KC-135R), F-110-100 (F-16), F-100-100/220/229 (F-15C,D,E), TF-39 (C-5A,B), and now the lovely F117 on the C-17A. The bottom line to my reply to this thread is this. Stop playing politics and go with the better qualified of the applicants going for the job, (F-23 with GE F-120-100). I would have taken the risk. My opinion of course.

remember the lessons of vietnam, speed and power are not the best things for an aircraft to have, those MiGs in ietnam slaughtered the navy and airforce until the 'throw a penny on the grass' movie which told the pilots the only way that they could survive, this coined the f-16 which outclassed any russian or otherwise fighter of its time, the '22 may have the same effect against highly manuevrable russian fighters, sure the '23 has better stealth and speed but to what use, the su-37 can go as fast as it but is far superior in the close in fight what use is speed and stealth if theres an aircraft out there that can not only detect but catch and score an easy kill

Alright, how about improving the maneuverablity of the F-23 by giving it some thrust vectoring and little canards like the SU-37. Just modify the aircraft in a conservative way to allow this. From my learning of the Vietnam conflict or war ( history channel, military channel, and school), I know that we suffered needlessly in a lot of areas that constrained our military and the equipment we were given back then and politics should have stayed out of our military leaderships way and let them do what needed to be done. Now back to my point. I just feel the F-23 was the better of the two and if you figure in all the cash they dumped into the F-22, we could have had the F-23 tweaked and in service quicker and with i think a little bit less cost than the F-22. I just feel it was a better design although the F-22 is not bad as a fighter. Of course, politics will be a determining factor in any procurement of equipment for the military and there seems no way of getting around it unfortunately.

One more thing, I am wondering how the F-23 could cost more than the F-22. From my reading and research, it was the other way around.

I have a quote form Paul Metz who was the test pilot for Northop for the YF-23 an then was hired by Lockheed to pilot the F-22. Although he wouldn't reveil the specifications of the two aircraft he did say. 'The airforce made the right choice. The F-22 is much superior to the Yf-23 and is a much better aircraft to pilot.'

Hey trigun5, what rank are you? Your making it sound like your a General, you dont need to know. Then stop talkin about it. You've said to much if its that CLASSIFIED you can find anything on the web, so if someone thinks they found somthing or did, you dont know if its right. The Military does use the net, if your on the net, you can...never mind.

I would have to go with the YF-22.

im going with the YF-23 Blackwidow 2. I think it is a much more beautiful plane and i think that the only reason it didnt win is because lockeed was going broke and since boeing owns te airline company they didnt need the money.

because of there stealth and there weapons