Boeing X-32 - Bilder og videoer

Den Boeing X-32 er et konseptdemonstratorfly som ble designet for Joint Strike Fighter-konkurransen. Den tapte mot Lockheed Martin X-35-demonstranten, som ble videreutviklet til Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.

Kilde: Boeing X-32 på Wikipedia

The Boeing X-32 was a concept demonstrator aircraft that was designed for the Joint Strike Fighter competition in the late 1990s. The competition aimed to develop a stealthy, multirole fighter that could perform conventional, carrier and vertical take-off and landing missions for the US Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. The Boeing X-32 competed with the Lockheed Martin X-35, which eventually won the contract and became the F-35 Lightning II.
The Boeing X-32 had a distinctive delta wing design that was intended to reduce manufacturing and life-cycle costs by minimizing variations between different versions of the aircraft. The wing also allowed for a large fuel capacity and a low transonic drag. The Boeing X-32 used a direct-lift thrust vectoring system for vertical take-off and landing, which involved adding a thrust vectoring module around the main engine.
The Boeing X-32 made its first flight on September 18, 2000, from Palmdale, California, to Edwards Air Force Base. Two prototypes were built: one for conventional and carrier take-off and landing (X-32A) and one for vertical take-off and landing (X-32B). The Boeing X-32 demonstrated its capabilities in various flight tests, but it faced some challenges such as wing fabrication, engine performance and aerodynamic stability.
The Boeing X-32 lost to the Lockheed Martin X-35 on October 26, 2001, after an extensive evaluation by the Department of Defense. The main reasons for the loss were the superior performance of the X-35’s lift fan system for vertical take-off and landing, which offered more thrust and less weight than the direct-lift system of the X-32; and the greater flexibility of the X-35’s design, which allowed for easier modifications to meet different requirements.
The Boeing X-32 was an innovative attempt to create a low-cost, versatile fighter aircraft that could meet multiple needs of different services. Although it did not win the Joint Strike Fighter competition, it contributed to advancing aerospace technology and knowledge.