The Boeing X-32 is a concept demonstrator aircraft that was designed for the Joint Strike Fighter competition. It lost to the Lockheed Martin X-35 demonstrator, which was further developed into the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.The X-32 test aircraft was incapable of meeting the enhanced maneuverability and payload targets which were requested by the Navy.
source/image: Found And Explained
The X-32 had a unique design, built around a large, one piece carbon fiber composite delta wing, although the final iteration of the aircraft would have been more conventional regarding the wing. It had quite a large chin-mounted air-intake at the front, a consequence of the X-32s direct lift system.Watch the video from Found And Explained:
Powering the X-32 was a single Pratt & Whitney YF119-PW-614 afterburning turbofan. And unlike the X-35, the X-32 did not need a complex fan system in order for it to undertake its VTOL capabilities. he X-32 therefore was designed around a large one piece carbon fiber composite delta wing. The wing had a span of 9.15 meters, with a 55-degree leading edge sweep, and could hold up to 20,000 pounds (9,000 kg) of fuel.
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The purpose of the high sweep angle was to allow for a thick wing section to be used while still providing limited transonic aerodynamic drag, and to provide a good angle for wing-installed conformal antenna equipment. The wing would prove a challenge to fabricate.
