<article><hdr>Aerial shot of the YF-17</hdr><body>
<hi style=afpcap>The two major contenders for the Lightweight Fighter Programme were the General Dynamics YF-16 Fighting Falcon, and the Northrop YF-17 . Both were wholly new radical designs, with the YF-16 being elected the winner after a competitive fly-off with the two prototypes. Undeterred, the design was adopted by McDonnell-Douglas as the FA-18 who took their proposals to the Navy with the result that the Hornet, as it eventually became, was to be the primary shipboard multi role fighter. </hi>
