The ATF (Advanced Technology Fighter) programme began in September 1983,
when design contracts were awarded to seven companies; in October 1986,
development contracts were awarded to two consortia, one consisting of
Lockheed (prime contractor), Boeing, and General Dynamics, the other of
Northrop (prime contractor) and McDonnell Douglas.  The first Northrop/MD
YF-23A (unofficially "Black Widow II") flew on 27 August 1990, followed by
the first Lockheed/Boeing/GD YF-22A (unofficially "Lightning II") on 29
September 1990.  In April 1991, the YF-22A was selected for development and
eventual service.

Recent budget cuts have slowed down the schedule slightly; the first flight
of the production Lockheed/Boeing F-22A (General Dynamics sold its fighter
division to Lockheed in December 1992), originally scheduled for June 1996,
will now be in (probably) March 1997.  Service entry is expected to begin
in 2003; the USAF is currently fighting an attempt by the General
Accounting Office to delay this to 2010.  Total production, originally
planned to be 648 aircraft, has now been reduced to 442.

Reports differ as to whether the aircraft has an official name yet; for a
while the Pentagon was considering "Superstar", and some magazine reports
have claimed that the name "Rapier" has been assigned.  However, Chris
Ridlon of USAF ROTC/Academy reports that all the USAF people he knows
(including F-22 acquisition officers) are using Lockheed's name of
"Lightning II", so that may be officially approved after all.

Vital statistics (YF-22A):  length 18.90 m, span 13.56 m, empty weight
15422 kg, max weight 28123 kg, max speed 2655 km/h (Mach 2.5), ferry range
3704 km; power plant:  two 155.68 kN Pratt & Whitney F119-100 augmented
turbofans; armament:  20mm cannon, internal bays for two AIM-9 and four
AIM-120A or six AIM-120C air-to-air missiles, or two AIM-9, two AIM-120,
and two air-to-surface missiles, external hardpoints for four more AIM-120s
or other ordnance; radar:  Westinghouse/Texas Instruments APG-77.