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The MD-GD design was fatally flawed with an estimated price tag that was way too low and not remotely realistic. The Northrop design would have worked. On the plus side, Northrop used it's experience with the B-2 to come up with a design that would work, with a price that was realistic*. Unfortunately the Navy didn't like the price.To make the A-12 work you'd have to choose the Northrop design despite not meeting the price limit. For the NATF, you'd need to keep the original 72 ATF and 48 NATF per year production schedule. This can only happen if the USN and Congress understand the capability is needed and the cost has to be accepted to get that capability.*This is one of the problems I have with the doubts raised about Northrop's ability to build on time and budget that worked against the YF-23. The have contemporary experience based on the B-2 experience, which means they have learned lessons to improve production of the next aircraft, and have a much better estimate of actual costs of program development and production. I'm fairly confident Northrop would have brought the F-23 in much earlier and cheaper than Lockheed did with the F-22.
The MD-GD design was fatally flawed with an estimated price tag that was way too low and not remotely realistic. The Northrop design would have worked. On the plus side, Northrop used it's experience with the B-2 to come up with a design that would work, with a price that was realistic*. Unfortunately the Navy didn't like the price.
To make the A-12 work you'd have to choose the Northrop design despite not meeting the price limit. For the NATF, you'd need to keep the original 72 ATF and 48 NATF per year production schedule. This can only happen if the USN and Congress understand the capability is needed and the cost has to be accepted to get that capability.
*This is one of the problems I have with the doubts raised about Northrop's ability to build on time and budget that worked against the YF-23. The have contemporary experience based on the B-2 experience, which means they have learned lessons to improve production of the next aircraft, and have a much better estimate of actual costs of program development and production. I'm fairly confident Northrop would have brought the F-23 in much earlier and cheaper than Lockheed did with the F-22.
