Wendell Barnhouse
As the Joint Strike Fighter concept developed over a decade ago, Lockheed and Boeing each developed their own prototype. Lockheed’s X-35 won the competition but the Lightning has faced and continues to face technical issues that has delayed development and forced massive cost overruns.
Considering the challenges that has hexed the F-35, perhaps Boeing was better off finishing second. The program to develop a do-it-all fifth-generation aircraft can be considered for a “bridge too far” designation.It’s entrant in the competition was designated as the X-32 – “x” is the typical designation for experimental but in this case “x” also stood for x’ed-out.
In October of 2001, the Department of Defense awarded the $200 billion contract to Lockheed Martin and hindsight makes one wonder if the right choice was made.Like hindsight on the F-35, predicting that the X-32 would have ultimately been the better choice is mostly guess work. And considering the F-35’s issues, it’s easier to say the wrong choice was made.
http://www.avgeekery.com/boeings-x-32-was-the-ugly-duckling-in-jsf-competition/
