Who owns the YF-23 design?

There is much speculation in this forum of the possible use of the YF-23 as a high-speed supersonic bomber, so in the event that it happened who will built the plane?

Does Northrop Grumman owns the design or it was shared with MDC and in that case will Boeing be NG's partner?

If we are talking about the design, here you are the answer:




But if we are talking about two YF-23 prototypes and F-23A, well, this is the subject of agreement with MDD - now Boeing. This is the reason, why some of the data were still not revealed to general public (as YF-23 internal profile, F-23A layout, etc.) and they wont be revealed for a looong time.

Ironically, it looks like the term of the patent runs out in about 9 days - wouldn't the design be fair game after that? I wonder what all the legal aspects actually are - could there POTENTIALLY be two entrants for the new USAF bomber, each based off of the YF-23, but from two separate companies? One from Boeing and one from Northrop (assuming that Boeing obtained a copy of the plans in the McDD purchase)?



[edit on 20-12-2006 by crusader97]