Northrop YF-17 Cobra – Valokuvat & Video

Nniiden Northrop YF-17 (lempinimeltään "Cobra") oli kevyen hävittäjän prototyyppi, joka oli suunniteltu Yhdysvaltain ilmavoimien Lightweight Fighter (LWF) -teknologian arviointiohjelmaan. LWF perustettiin, koska monet hävittäjäyhteisössä uskoivat, että F-15 Eaglen kaltaiset lentokoneet olivat liian suuria ja kalliita moniin taistelutehtäviin. YF-17 oli huipentuma pitkälle Northrop-mallien sarjalle, joka alkoi N-102 Fangista vuonna 1956 ja jatkui F-5-perheen kautta.

Nniiden Northrop YF-17 Kobra oli Northrop Corporationin 1970-luvulla kehittämä hävittäjälentokoneen prototyyppi. Se oli yksi kilpailijoista Lightweight Fighter (LWF) -ohjelmassa, jonka tavoitteena oli tuottaa pienempi ja halvempi vaihtoehto F-15 Eaglelle. YF-17 hävisi kilpailun General Dynamics YF-16:lle, mutta siitä kehitettiin myöhemmin F/A-18 Hornet Yhdysvaltain laivastolle ja merijalkaväelle.
The YF-17 was designed as a twin-engine, single-seat, supersonic fighter with a high-mounted wing and twin tail fins. It had a semi-monocoque fuselage with a blended wing-body shape that reduced drag and increased lift. The wing had leading-edge extensions that improved maneuverability and stability at high angles of attack. The engines were mounted close to the fuselage to reduce radar cross-section and infrared signature. The cockpit was equipped with a head-up display, a multifunction display, and a hands-on-throttle-and-stick (HOTAS) system.
The YF-17 was armed with a 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon and four hardpoints under the wing for carrying air-to-air missiles, bombs, or fuel tanks. It also had two wingtip rails for Sidewinder missiles. The YF-17 had a maximum speed of Mach 2.0, a combat radius of 460 miles, and a service ceiling of 50,000 feet. It was powered by two General Electric YJ101 turbofan engines, each producing 15,000 pounds of thrust.
The YF-17 first flew on June 9, 1974, and completed its flight testing in 1976. It demonstrated superior performance and agility over the YF-16 in some aspects, such as turn rate, acceleration, and angle of attack. However, the YF-16 had better range, payload, and avionics, and was cheaper to produce. The US Air Force selected the YF-16 as the winner of the LWF program in January 1975.
The YF-17 was not abandoned, however. The US Navy was interested in adopting a new fighter to replace its aging F-4 Phantom II and A-7 Corsair II fleets. The Navy wanted a twin-engine fighter with better endurance and carrier suitability than the YF-16. Northrop teamed up with McDonnell Douglas to modify the YF-17 for naval use. The resulting aircraft was designated as the F/A-18 Hornet, which entered service in 1983 and became one of the most successful fighters in history.