The enduring and admirable F/A-18 Hornet has been a staple of U.S. naval aviation since the 1980s. But the prototype from which the F/A-18 was developed, the YF-17, failed to impress U.S. Air Force reviewers considering bids for the Lightweight Fighter (LWF) program. The Air Force passed on the YF-17, opting instead for the YF-16, which would become the F-16 Fighting Falcon. The Navy, however, would find value in the discarded YF-17, crafting the jet into a versatile workhorse, which is still crucial to the fleet today. 

Starting with the YF-17

The LWF program, as you might assume, was designed to yield a small, light, and cheap fighter jet. It was a direct response to the F-15, which happened to be quite large and expensive—too large and expensive to run certain Air Force mission types. Accordingly, the Air Force solicited bids for something to complement the mighty F-15, something smaller and more efficient.

Two bids were offered. One, is the single-engine YF-16. And two, the twin-engine YF-17.........

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