The YF-23 was marginally faster in max, and supercruise speed, and had longer range, with a larger fuel fraction, and a larger, deeper and more versatile weapons bay. The RCS and IR stealth aspects were better, particularly in the tail aspect. The manoeuverability was largely similar, with the YF-23 beinga better airframe but without the thrust vector, a sacrifice for the aforementioned stealth superiority. The Northrop company is a perrennial loser in Government contracts, with M/D being Cheneyed over the Avenger debacle. Most importantly, the trough offered by Boeing was much longer, and the political importance of a long trough is always the most important, although the production difficulties this entailed were one of the F-22's most serious drawbacks.