The Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) was a major United States Air Force procurement program initiated in the early 1980s to develop a next-generation air superiority fighter to replace the F-15 Eagle. Designed to counter emerging Soviet threats like the Su-27 “Flanker” and MiG-29 “Fulcrum,” the ATF program established the core requirements for what would define “fifth-generation” aircraft: low-observable (stealth) technology, integrated avionics, high agility, and “supercruise”—the ability to maintain supersonic speeds without the use of afterburners. The program culminated in a high-stakes competition between two technology demonstrators, the Lockheed YF-22 and the Northrop YF-23. The Lockheed design was ultimately selected in 1991, leading to the production of the F-22 Raptor, which remains the global benchmark for air dominance and stealth fighter design.
