The U.S. Air Force's X-44 Manta Fighter Nightmare

Summary: Lockheed Martin designed the X-44 Manta, a proposed variant of the F-22 Raptor, as a tailless delta-wing aircraft with advanced stealth capabilities. Conceived during the Cold War, this innovative platform aimed to enhance agility and reduce radar signatures by using thrust vectoring in place of traditional tail surfaces.

-Despite its promising design, the Manta project was canceled in 2000 before a prototype was built.

-The Air Force's ongoing Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program...