The Boeing X-32 was a multi-purpose jet fighter in the Joint Strike Fighter contest. It lost to the Lockheed Martin X-35 demonstrIn 1993, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) launched the Common Affordable Lightweight Fighter project (CALF). The project's purpose was to develop a stealth-enabled design to replace all of US DoD lighter weight fighter and attack aircraft, including the F-16 Fighting Falcon, F/A-18 Hornet, and short takeoff / vertical landing (STOVL) AV-8B Harrier II.[1] Around the same time the Joint Advanced Strike Technology (JAST) project was started.[2] In 1994, the US Congress ordered the two to be merged into the Joint Strike Fighter Program.
Many companies took part in the first phase of this project, which involved drafting concept aircraft designs for submission to the Department of Defense. However on 16 November 1996, only Boeing and Lockheed Martin were awarded contracts, allowing them to produce two of their concept aircraft each. Under the contract, these fighters were required to demonstrate Conventional Take Off and Landing (CTOL), carrier take off and landing (CV version), and short take off and vertical landing (STOVL). They were also expected to include ground demonstrations of a production representative aircraft's systems, such as the Preferred Weapon System Concept (PWSC).
One major departure from previous projects was the prohibition of the companies from using their own money to finance development. Each was awarded $750 million to produce their two aircraft – including avionics, software and hardware. This limitation promoted the adoption of low cost manufacturing and assembly techniques, and also prevented either Boeing or Lockheed Martin from bankrupting themselves in an effort to win such an important contest.
[edit] Designing the X-32
The X-32 featured a large chin mounted air intake and a large one piece carbon fiber composite wing, neither of which contributed to the sleek, awe-inspiring look expected from a high tech fighter, though the design does resemble the design of some Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). The wing would prove a challenge to fabricate.[3] Boeing had proposed in the 1960s a similarly aesthetically challenged supersonic fighter with a mid-center-of-gravity mounted engine with vectored thrust nozzles, but this never proceeded beyond pictures published in Aviation Week. By comparison, the Lockheed entry looked like, if anything, a sleeker version of the larger F-22 Raptor stealth fighter. Aesthetics would play no role in official scoring, but many defense analysts commented that fighters usually looked right, though the highly successful "double ugly" F-4 Phantom was a notable exception to this rule.ator which was further developed into the F-35 Lightning II.
Many companies took part in the first phase of this project, which involved drafting concept aircraft designs for submission to the Department of Defense. However on 16 November 1996, only Boeing and Lockheed Martin were awarded contracts, allowing them to produce two of their concept aircraft each. Under the contract, these fighters were required to demonstrate Conventional Take Off and Landing (CTOL), carrier take off and landing (CV version), and short take off and vertical landing (STOVL). They were also expected to include ground demonstrations of a production representative aircraft's systems, such as the Preferred Weapon System Concept (PWSC).
One major departure from previous projects was the prohibition of the companies from using their own money to finance development. Each was awarded $750 million to produce their two aircraft – including avionics, software and hardware. This limitation promoted the adoption of low cost manufacturing and assembly techniques, and also prevented either Boeing or Lockheed Martin from bankrupting themselves in an effort to win such an important contest.
[edit] Designing the X-32
The X-32 featured a large chin mounted air intake and a large one piece carbon fiber composite wing, neither of which contributed to the sleek, awe-inspiring look expected from a high tech fighter, though the design does resemble the design of some Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). The wing would prove a challenge to fabricate.[3] Boeing had proposed in the 1960s a similarly aesthetically challenged supersonic fighter with a mid-center-of-gravity mounted engine with vectored thrust nozzles, but this never proceeded beyond pictures published in Aviation Week. By comparison, the Lockheed entry looked like, if anything, a sleeker version of the larger F-22 Raptor stealth fighter. Aesthetics would play no role in official scoring, but many defense analysts commented that fighters usually looked right, though the highly successful "double ugly" F-4 Phantom was a notable exception to this rule.ator which was further developed into the F-35 Lightning II.
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