XF-108 Rapier

The XF-108 Rapier was a proposed long-range, high-Mach interceptor designed in the late 1950s by North American Aviation. Intended to defend the United States from supersonic Soviet strategic bombers, the Rapier was also envisioned by NAA to be an escort fighter capable of keeping pace with the XB-70 Valkyrie bomber.

The program was canceled in 1959 with only a mockup being constructed. Various components of the program would live on, primarily the Rapier's AN/ASG-18 radar and GAR-9 (AIM-47) missiles were the direct ancestors of the AWG-9 radar and AIM-54 Phoenix missile system used by the F-14 Tomcat.

Crew - 2 (Pilot and Radar Operator)
Length - 89' 2"
Wingspan - 57' 5"
Max Speed - Mach 3.0+
Service Ceiling - 80,100 ft
Combat Radius - 1,020 nautical miles
Powerplant - 2 × General Electric YJ93-GE-3AR afterburning turbojets
Armament - 3 × GAR-9 (AIM-47) Super Falcon missiles in internal rotary bay