The YF-17 Cobra Lost to the F-16 Fighter (But Became the F/A-18 Hornet)

The YF-17 Cobra Lost to the F-16 Fighter (But Became the F/A-18 Hornet)

Key Points and Summary – Northrop’s YF-17 “Cobra” lost the U.S. Air Force’s 1970s Lightweight Fighter competition to the YF-16, but it went on to shape American and allied air power for decades. Designed as a maneuverable, low-cost air-superiority jet, the twin-engine YF-17 underperformed the simpler, cheaper, faster-accelerating YF-16 in key metrics. A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon connects with a U.S. Air Force KC-10 Extender over Iraq, …