Boeing flew its X-32B short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) Joint Strike Fighter demonstrator for the first time on 29 March.
The 50min flight from Boeing's Palmdale plant in California to the nearby Edwards AFB marks the start of a four-month test programme. The take-off and landing were conventional rather than using the X-32B's thrust-vectoring vertical-lift system.
After a short period at Edwards, the X-32B will be flown to the US Navy's Patuxent River, Maryland base for STOVL testing. In all, 55 flights totalling around 40h will be flown.
Source: Flight International
