1 9 ▁through ▁to ▁the ▁ret irement ▁of ▁the ▁sh utt les . ▁ ▁In to ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁ ▁The ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Cold ▁War ▁was ▁marked ▁by ▁the ▁arrival ▁of ▁the ▁Y F - 2 2 A ▁and ▁the ▁Y F - 2 3 A . ▁The ▁two ▁prototype ▁f igh ters ▁were ▁the ▁first ▁air plan es ▁to ▁bl end ▁ste alth ▁with ▁ag ility ▁and ▁high - speed , ▁su person ic ▁cru ise ▁cap ability . ▁The ▁Y F - 2 2 A ▁was ▁selected ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ' s ▁new ▁advanced ▁tact ical ▁f ighter ▁after ▁a ▁brief ▁demonstr ation ▁and ▁validation ▁risk ▁reduction ▁flight ▁test ▁program . ▁Now ▁named ▁the ▁R apt or , ▁the ▁F - 2 2 A ▁continues ▁to ▁under go ▁test ▁and ▁evaluation ▁at ▁Edwards . ▁ ▁A ▁new ▁group ▁of ▁research ▁projects ▁came ▁to ▁Edwards ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s . ▁Global ▁Haw k , ▁an ▁un mann ed ▁aer ial ▁vehicle ▁that ▁has ▁been ▁used ▁extens ively ▁in ▁Afghan istan ▁and ▁Ira q , ▁made ▁its ▁first ▁flight ▁at ▁Edwards ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁The ▁X - 2 4 , ▁X - 3 3 , ▁X - 3 4 , ▁X - 3 6 ▁and ▁X - 3 8 , ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁new ▁lif ting ▁bodies , ▁technology ▁demonstr ators ▁and ▁half - scale ▁models ▁were ▁tested ▁here ▁by ▁NASA ▁during ▁the ▁de cade . The