Back in 1978, I was admitted to Northwestern Polytechnical University.

Chapter 440 Lockheed's Bid Fails
The Pentagon, America.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the prototype designed by Northrop is the best solution! In future air combat, long range and ultimate stealth capabilities are the most important. Whether it is the vast Pacific Ocean or high-intensity confrontation, our fighter jets need to have this performance. We believe that in the future battlefield, close combat will be rare, and long-range precision sniping will be more important."

Graham Warwick, chief designer at Northrop Corporation, stood on the bidding stage and spoke eloquently.

To be honest, his ideas are quite forward-thinking. If we look back thirty years and the sixth-generation fighter jets arrive, these requirements will still be valid.

Air combat no longer requires close-range dogfights. A manned fighter jet can fly with many drones, and it also has long-range air-to-air missiles with a range of more than 100 kilometers, which can easily carry out sniping.

But this was only the 1980s! The only missiles with a range of 100 kilometers were products like the Phoenix with high-trajectory launchers. The performance of missiles was still very poor, and the experience of using missiles as rockets during the Vietnam War had only just ended.

At this time, many air force leaders were skeptical of the talk that future battlefields would require close combat.

"Look everyone, our fighter jets are designed for the battlefields of the future. Our brand-new V-tail replaces the traditional tail configuration, greatly reducing the possibility of being detected by radar. And our variable cycle engine is the first choice for long range and supersonic cruise..."

Twenty minutes later, Warwick stepped down from the stage.

“Next…” Benny Davis, who was in charge of the bidding process, looked at everyone present. When his gaze fell on Lockheed’s seat, Ben Ritchie immediately stood up. He knew it was his turn to speak. He also had various arguments to persuade the Air Force to choose his project. After all, although his project was not the best, it was definitely the most moderate.

But the next moment, Benny Davis spoke up: "Grumman team, please introduce your project."

Ben Richie sat down awkwardly. Among the Air Force generals, Hunter Harris was a supporter of Lockheed, and his absence from the meeting, let alone chairing it, indicated... the situation was even more dire.

Pellehark stood up excitedly: "Ladies and gentlemen, we at Grumman believe that variable-sweep wings are the only correct solution to achieve supersonic cruise, sufficient range, and high maneuverability..."

Currently, Grumman and Northrop have not merged, and they are working independently. The seven bidding teams all have their own proposals, and Grumman, due to its success with the Tomcat fighter jet, is particularly fond of this design.

Moreover, they are also collaborating with the East, and the progress of this stealth version is quite rapid.

Other projects require supersonic cruise, which relies entirely on heavy-duty airframes, while variable-sweep wings can easily achieve this by simply sweeping the wings back to reduce drag.

"The Q-6 fighter jet from the East can achieve supersonic cruise with just one turbojet engine, and its maximum speed has also been significantly improved. Our design, utilizing advanced domestic aero-engine technology, will make it even easier to achieve supersonic cruise. We estimate that it can reach a cruise speed of Mach 1.6, and it will also be quite fuel-efficient..."

Mach 1.6 is already the maximum speed of many low-cost fighter jets! It takes a lot of effort to reach that speed with afterburner, but Grumman's project can achieve it just by cruising speed, which is faster than the Air Force's requirement!
"As for maneuverability, I think you absolutely cannot overlook the powerful turning performance when the wings are deployed..."

Pellehak spoke eloquently, but... why did so many people in the room look displeased?

Wait, could it be...

Lockheed was sidelined mainly because their cooperation with the East had drawn huge criticism, and their own side was also suspected of cooperating with the East.

Twenty minutes later.

"Okay, that concludes our discussion of the Grumman project. Now, please bring Boeing up."

Boeing is known for building passenger planes, but it also develops military aircraft. They are very optimistic about the huge market of military aircraft, and the planes they are now producing are even more incredible!
"Gentlemen, the recent failure of the F-117 has made us realize that the stealth of an aircraft's shape is equally important. Therefore, the project we are developing not only achieves radar stealth but also visual stealth! Through special painting, we can make the aircraft visually stealthy even under light!"

This time, many people stared wide-eyed at Boeing's project with great curiosity, and then... they were even more shocked.

Northrop's project was already futuristic enough, but Boeing's project is even more futuristic!

The fuselage is flat and thick, with side stripes, somewhat resembling the outline of a Blackbird. This fuselage alone can provide a lot of lift. The bottom is flat, with no visible openings, and the air intake is designed on the back of the fuselage.

The dorsal air intake is a major enemy in the field of fighter jet design. Although it can effectively conceal itself and avoid being detected by radar, its air intake efficiency is very low, especially when flying at high angles of attack, as the fuselage blocks the air intake!

The dorsal air intake is futuristic enough, but its wings are even more futuristic!
The wings are located behind the fuselage and have a large sweep angle. This layout is suitable for high-speed flight, but it is definitely not suitable for improving maneuverability. The wings are also curved upwards to both sides, and two pieces extend downwards from the ends of the wings. These should be the vertical stabilizers.
This downward bend is something I've never seen before!

The entire aircraft is full of science fiction elements, making one think it belongs to a science fiction blockbuster like Star Trek, and it should definitely not appear in the bidding for a fourth-generation fighter jet.

"Kutell, did you guys get this inspiration from a Hollywood film studio?" someone couldn't help but ask.

"Gentlemen, when the F-117 first appeared, didn't you all think it was a plane from Hollywood? Now it's flying, isn't it? Although there were some problems in its first combat mission, it was just a mistake after all. Twenty years ago, would we have imagined a plane with 9G overload? Back then, planes were practically humanoid rockets!"

Faced with the doubts of the crowd, Boeing engineer Kutler showed no sign of unease. At that moment, he was very proud: "Our aircraft is absolutely groundbreaking..."

This design has many advantages, such as stealth and supersonic cruise, which can be easily achieved. The only drawback is its maneuverability. With a small wingspan, its maneuverability will definitely be quite poor, but... they also have their tricks.

"We will install an omnidirectional thrust vectoring engine on this aircraft. With this technology, the maneuverability of our aircraft can be improved by the thrust vectoring nozzle, which will fully meet the needs of the Air Force..."

Who cares about our appearance? As long as we meet the Air Force's requirements, that's all that matters!
Twenty minutes later.

Boeing's project presentations are complete, and now it's finally Ben Ritchie's turn.

He took a deep breath and walked up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, our Lockheed project is the most moderate; its performance in some aspects may not be outstanding, but overall it is very good..."

Shh... A scornful murmur has already been heard from below. What do you mean by compromise? It's clearly a case of having no advantages whatsoever. It's ridiculous that having no advantages whatsoever is considered the greatest advantage.

"We believe that as a fighter jet, horizontal and vertical stabilizers are essential. Yaw, pitch, and roll—all three axes need to be controlled. If it is simplified, then when one axis takes up more control capabilities, the control capabilities of the other axes will be weakened..."

“Ben-Ritchie, you just need to introduce your aircraft; you don’t need to analyze the shortcomings of other aircraft. Our Air Force has a review panel,” Benny Davis said, frowning.

Ben Richie had no choice but to nod: "Alright, let me introduce our design. Our aircraft uses a conventional aerodynamic layout, and its shape is meticulously designed..."

Overall, their project was unremarkable, with nothing particularly outstanding or seriously flawed.

Don't assume that the U.S. Air Force is radical. After being provoked many times, they have become very conservative. In fact, Lockheed's conservative approach is more likely to gain the Air Force's trust.

But that was in the past.

Now, as the F-117 issue escalates, the Air Force's distrust of Lockheed Martin is also growing.

“Alright, that’s enough. You’ve given enough of your presentation.” Ben Rich wanted to continue, but was interrupted by an Air Force leader: “Now you can leave. Let’s continue our discussion. I personally think we should select two suitable options from these seven to proceed with the next phase of prototype development and comparative testing.”

This is America's advantage.

Other countries need to concentrate their national resources to develop a suitable aircraft, while the United States can choose the most suitable solution from various competing manufacturers!

It is inappropriate to authorize the project to a single company. The current bidding process is only to select two out of seven companies to continue the comparison in the next round!

"That's right, that's also our task today. We need to vote. First, those who agree with Northrop's proposal, please press the button."

Voting by raising hands can easily breed resentment. This button-pressing method is anonymous; nobody knows the vote, and you can see the support levels—it's the most suitable. Instantly, the red light flashed, and the count soared.

“There are 135 people with voting rights here. Now, 108 people support Northrop’s proposal. So, this proposal can be considered a viable one!” Benny Davis was very satisfied.

Northrop's solution was indeed the most aesthetically pleasing to them; it didn't seem particularly unreliable, and its performance was clearly very advanced.

"Next, Grumman's proposal."

This time, only 54 lights were on, less than half!
The Grumman employees were annoyed. What were these guys thinking? Couldn't they see that Grumman's project was the most suitable? Support us, and we'll be able to develop it soon!
"Okay, Boeing's proposal is acceptable!"

Everyone stared wide-eyed, watching to see who might come in second.

Fifty, fifty-three, fifty-four...

As many as Grumman!

This is quite a miracle, a comet hitting Earth! And the number of colliding collides is the same!

Boeing's proposal is too radical. The project seems unreliable no matter how you look at it. The fact that it got more than fifty votes only shows that there are too few supporters for Grumman.

During the Cold War, Grumman hardly built any aircraft for the Air Force. Over time, their relationship with the Air Force deteriorated, which was the result of the efforts of their senior advisors!

After retiring, high-ranking officers in the navy and air force are often hired as senior consultants by various large companies. They don't have to do anything except collect money. When needed, they can lobby suspected senior military officers to gain their support.

Next up is Lockheed. They have a good relationship with the military and have recently made some concessions. They should be able to get a majority of the votes, right?

The red light is flashing.

Twenty lamps, thirty lamps, forty lamps... Finally, it settled on forty-eight lamps.

"No, no, everyone, don't let this failure of the F-117 blind you. It was just an accident. Lockheed has the most experience in military aircraft development..." Ben Ritchie said anxiously.

Seven to two, at least give us a chance, let us build a prototype. You won't even give us that? This really disappoints Lockheed Corporation.

"Ben Rich, you still don't understand. Your biggest problem is that you're getting too close to the East. We can't let the East have the same kind of brand-new fighter jet!"

"Impossible, impossible. Even if the Easterners can imitate the appearance, they don't have advanced engines. They can't build a top-notch fourth-generation fighter jet, and its performance will lag far behind ours!"

"Hmph, you're thinking too simply! Do you think you can fathom the cunning of the Easterners? I heard you're planning to develop some kind of joint fighter jet with them. If you're so capable, why don't you Lockheed Corporation develop an advanced aircraft on your own without our Air Force's funding!"

This……

This was just a backup project for Lockheed. If the bid failed, there was still a fourth-generation fighter jet to develop. After he returned, he discussed this topic in the company, and everyone thought it was feasible. Unexpectedly, someone leaked the secret!

The Air Force, knowing that they wanted to deepen their cooperation with the East, was even less likely to let Lockheed win the bid!
If you have forty-eight supporters, that's definitely true love.

Ben Richie's face grew paler and paler, while the voting continued in the conference room.

The other projects received even lower votes, so Northrop advanced directly, while Grumman and Boeing still need further comparison.

"Next, we need Grumman and Boeing to go back and refine their plans. They should come back here to bid a week later. Our Air Force will select one of these two projects to move into detailed development. The project code name is... YF-22. As for Northrop, the funding will be in place within a week. You need to quickly move into the detailed development phase. The project code name is YF-23!"

Now that Northrop has taken the lead, and the others still have to compete for the contract, they can begin detailed research and development!
On site, they couldn't stop smiling. The other two competitors were just there to make up the numbers and meet the conditions set by the Air Force. In reality, it was already a foregone conclusion that Northrop Corporation would win the project. They could go back and have a celebration party!

After the meeting ended, Ben Richie stood at the door with a gloomy face, pacing back and forth. When he saw the officers coming out, he managed to force a smile.

"General Hartinger, Lockheed Corporation suffered an unjust defeat this time. Could you please give us another chance..."

"Ben-Ritchie, you guys are technically brilliant, but unfortunately, you have political problems. You're getting too close to the East. You should know that our current efforts to strengthen ties with the East are only to jointly deal with the Russians. As it turns out, the Easterners are incredibly shrewd..."

"But we..."

"There are no buts. By the way, Ben Richie, I must warn you all, you can pursue the joint fighter project, but only by yourselves. If you dare to continue cooperating with the Easterners... then this project will definitely not be able to proceed."

Swish!
Ben Richie's face turned completely pale.

Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU) is not short of money, its technology is first-class, and its research and development can save on expenses. The labor cost in the East is low, which can reduce production costs... These are all advantages of the East! If they don't cooperate with the East, even if Lockheed Corporation brings in MIT, they simply can't handle it.

Finished!

Lockheed's future looks bleak, as it failed to secure the fourth-generation fighter jet project and its international cooperation project stalled.

Of course, as a powerful military-industrial complex, Lockheed Martin wouldn't be unable to survive without the fourth-generation fighter jet project. However, without the fourth-generation fighter jet project, they wouldn't be able to reach the next level. In a competitive society like the United States, it's a matter of either moving forward or falling behind.

What should Lockheed do next to completely sever ties with the East?
He was very conflicted.

In the east, in a courtyard house.

"Dad, Mom, Duoduo and I have gone back to our hometown. We'll be back on the second day of the Lunar New Year."

"Okay, let's go back." Yang Tian waved his hand, his expression... clearly indicating that he wanted to spend some time alone with his mother-in-law. Come to think of it, after being a monk for so long, this time when they reunited, he and Duoduo would be the third wheel.

"Uh-huh."

The two stepped out of their house and were about to get into a taxi when they saw... a car with an Air Force license plate approaching.

Sure enough, we can't leave again!
Qin Liang said helplessly, "Duoduo, you'll come with me this time. I'll go back after I finish talking with the Air Force leaders."

Princess Tomb, Airplane Building.

"What? That's it? Leaders, I thought it was something big. Lockheed's failure to win the bid is good news, but... it's nothing serious. Goodbye."

"and many more!"

"What else?"

"Aren't you curious about the other bidding products? Some of them are quite futuristic. Boeing, your good friend from Northwestern Polytechnical University, had a very unique bidding project..."

The ATF bidding process wasn't actually top secret, given the large number of participating manufacturers and high-ranking military officials present. However, the most that was leaked was the exterior design; the technical details were truly top secret.

(End of this chapter)