In 1989 or so, the USAF institued the ATF program, which stood for Advanced Tactical Fighter. The idea was to choose a 21st air superiority fighter for the USAF, to replace the venerable but aging F-15 and a competition was held between Lockheed's F-22 and Grumman's Yf-23. In the end, the F-22 was chosen as the new fighter, due to enter service in 2005, of there are no more budget cuts, that is. See also the ATF's followup project, for the JSF.