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The Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23A "Black Widow II" and the Lockheed Martin/Boeing/General Dynamics-designed F-22A "Raptor" were both contenders in the 1980s Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) Program aimed at outmatching Soviet capabilities
Stealth wasn’t the only metric where the YF-23 outperformed the YF-22, of what is now known as the F-22 Raptor. The YF-22 also proved to have a better range than the YF-22.
The Northrop Grumman YF-23 has attained something of a mythical status among aviation enthusiasts – because of the jet’s performance and because only two were ever made.
Both Northrop’s YF-23 and Lockheed’s YF-22 were clearly extremely capable fighters. Northrop’s YF-23 offered greater range and superior stealth, but the YF-22 used more advanced avionics and had a slight advantage in maneuverability.
The YF-23 was a stealth fighter demonstrator that gave the F-22 a run for its money when both were tested for service in the U.S. Air Force and went head to head for a massive contract.