Boeing JAST / JSF / X-32 /PWSC F-32 projects

[flateric]

Boeing vice president and general manager for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Frank Statkus sits near a model of his company's X-32 after his company lost the $200 billion contract to produce 3,002 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) airplanes during a press conference at Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington, October 26, 2001.
Boeing Vice Chairman Harry Stonecipher gestures while sitting near a model of his company's X-32 after his company lost a contract to build the Joint Strike Fighter to Lockheed Martin, during a press conference at Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington, October 26, 2001.
[The Pentagon announced October 26 that it selected the Lockheed Martin X-35 over Boeing's X-32 to be the JSF. The new jet will be designated the F-35.]

REUTERS/Anthony P. Bolante APB

 

[tomcathornet1]

I think the X-32 was a great design, just not as a fighter. It looks like an updated and stealthy version of the A-7 Corsair II.

 

[Sundog]

I think the X-32 was a great design, just not as a fighter. It looks like an updated and stealthy version of the A-7 Corsair II.

Which is a weird thing to say since it was faster and more maneuverable than the X-35.

 

[Boomerang503]

Does anyone know if there are any diagrams showing the weapons bays and what kind of possible loadouts a production -32 could've carried?

 

[flateric]

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/boeing-jast-jsf-x-32-projects.2121/post-18033

 

[flateric]

https://www.reddit.com/r/WeirdWings/comments/clrny7

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/WeirdWings/comments/clrny7/x32_pwsc/

 

[Archibald]

Is that a real mockup from 20 years ago or just Reddit CGI ?

 

[flateric]

Real mockup

 

[Rhinocrates]

Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know

John Keats, 'Ode on a Grecian Urn'

In engineering terms, I like to think, 'If it works, it's beautiful, and if you can't see that, adjust your ideas of beauty.' However this didn't work.

 

[flateric]

AFAIR, port side had representative weapons bay that was opened at some shows where F-32 PWSC mockup (built by Advanced Technologies Inc.) was promoted, like FIA'2000

 

[flateric]

Beast mode

 

[flateric]

Gallery

Note weapons bay doors configuration

 

[VTOLicious]

Gallery

Note weapons bay doors configuration

Hmm, wouldn't the missile eject into the lower door?

 

[SteveO]

I think the AMRAAM stations were rail launchers if I remember correctly?

Mockup bay pics here https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/boeing-jast-jsf-x-32-projects.2121/page-4#post-130195

Maybe it ejected the AMRAAM diagonally?

 

[flateric]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdRPXJyoqIk

 

[SteveO]

Actually it looks like the AMRAAM could have been ejected out the lower bay door without opening the upper bay door. The swing out arm would have made internal carriage of Brimstone missiles a lot easier!

I get the feeling I’ve probably said all this before, can’t resist a X-32 topic

 

[VTOLicious]

I think the AMRAAM stations were rail launchers if I remember correctly?

Mockup bay pics here https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/boeing-jast-jsf-x-32-projects.2121/page-4#post-130195

Maybe it ejected the AMRAAM diagonally?

Thx for the link! Interesting layout!

As depicted the missile would be ejected straight down. However, the clearance of the fins to the surrounding structure appears also really tight for this AMRAAM to be rail launched.
There may be a secondary mechanism that swings the missile to the side or lowers it before launch (?).

 

[VTOLicious]

Actually it looks like the AMRAAM could have been ejected out the lower bay door without opening the upper bay door.

Ah ok, that makes sense. Thx for the hint!

 

[flateric]

...

 

[njiiaf]

I wonder if they would have chosen the touchscreen + HUD-less combo too.

 

[flateric]

...

 

[flateric]

Actually it looks like the AMRAAM could have been ejected out the lower bay door without opening the upper bay door.

Exactly so

 

[flateric]

on the road to PWSC

 

[raptor82]

...

This HMD prototype looks a lot like a Viper IV (Viper VISTA).

 

[flateric]

Boeing Positions for JSF - Avionics International

Reducing avionics system development risk is key to winning the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) competition. So Boeing is honing its entry by using full mission simulations to provide instant updates, […]

www.aviationtoday.com

 

[flateric]

Boeing JSF :: Rochester Avionic Archives

rochesteravionicarchives.co.uk

 

[flateric]

Auctria

event.auctria.com

 

[flateric]

...

 

[fightingirish]

"Monica is getting a new spray-on tan and lipstick."
During the recent restoration step at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, the Boeing X-32A was given a new paint coating.
Sources:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1730911048553603374

View: https://twitter.com/AFmuseum/status/1730911048553603374?t=toEEZYClhbgwzGD0Ye0Z4w&s=19

Boeing X-32A

Note: This aircraft is currently in the restoration hangar.(restoration completed Dec 2023)The Boeing X-32 was a multi-purpose jet fighter in the Joint Strike Fighter contest. It lost to the Lockheed

www.nationalmuseum.af.mil

 

[FighterJock]

Good to see the X-32A gettting a fresh coat of paint and being taken care of at the Airforce museum. I had originally thought that it had gone to the Boneyard to be forgotten.

 

[fightingirish]

"Monica is getting a new spray-on tan and lipstick."
During the recent restoration step at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, the Boeing X-32A was given a new paint coating.
Sources:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1730911048553603374

View: https://twitter.com/AFmuseum/status/1730911048553603374?t=toEEZYClhbgwzGD0Ye0Z4w&s=19

Boeing X-32A

Note: This aircraft is currently in the restoration hangar.(restoration completed Dec 2023)The Boeing X-32 was a multi-purpose jet fighter in the Joint Strike Fighter contest. It lost to the Lockheed

www.nationalmuseum.af.mil

Maybe some forum member might personally know the pilot Fred Knox and/or the other people from the test and engineering crew mentioned in this new video.
Video:

View: https://youtu.be/20QyP2lTOAM?si=Yftf3wUSVMY9mvpB

https://youtu.be/20QyP2lTOAM?si=Yftf3wUSVMY9mvpB

Boeing X-32 Decals During Restoration-NMUSAF
The decal application process for the Boeing X-32A restoration is finished, and we're excited to showcase a glimpse of the completed decals. #restoration #avgeek
The Boeing X-32 was a multi-purpose jet fighter in the Joint Strike Fighter contest. It lost to the Lockheed Martin X-35 demonstrator, which was further developed into the F-35 Lightning II. In September 2000 the X-32A made its first flight, and it made a total of 66 flights during four months of testing. The flights demonstrated the aircraft's handling qualities for inflight refueling, weapons bay operations and supersonic flight. The aircraft was moved to the National Museum of the United States Air Force in 2005.

 

[flateric]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1733218603695034660

View: https://twitter.com/AFmuseum/status/1733218603695034660

 

[fightingirish]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1733218603695034660

View: https://twitter.com/AFmuseum/status/1733218603695034660

Here the next batch of pictures showing the restored Boeing X-32A.

Another fantastic restoration is in the books for our top notch team!!! More photos and videos of the Boeing X-32 coming soon.

Source (X fka Twitter):

https://x.com/AFmuseum/status/1733894195318792260?s=20

https://twitter.com/x/status/1733128557348483372

View: https://twitter.com/AFmuseum/status/1733128557348483372
Rollout video and photos of the completed three month restoration and photos prior to the restoration process here at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton Ohio.

View: https://youtu.be/Zm5WOEYiTdw?si=Y4bBAxfsJIOXuFKX

Boeing X-32A Video/Photo Shoot (NMUSAF Dec 2023)
The Boeing X-32 was a multi-purpose jet fighter in the Joint Strike Fighter contest. It lost to the Lockheed Martin X-35 demonstrator, which was further developed into the F-35 Lightning II. In September 2000 the X-32A made its first flight, and it made a total of 66 flights during four months of testing. The flights demonstrated the aircraft's handling qualities for inflight refueling, weapons bay operations and supersonic flight. The aircraft was moved to the National Museum of the United States Air Force in 2005.

 

[Elysium]

I dislike the version with the horizontal tail - it reduces the wing volume and area, while increasing the overall deck floorplan of the aircraft. It seems like a compromise detracting from the original vision.

I have a couple of questions about this aircraft:

• How stealthy would it have been? It has pretty much its entire engine face exposed due to how the design works. Could it have had comparable LO characteristics to the 35?
• Did the design gain those horizontal stabilizers because of the carrier landing requirement? Was it necessary? The design had TVC and those giant control surfaces on the back of the wing, did it need h-stabs to do a carrier takeoff and landing?
• Did the production version not have leading edge slats?
• Considering the design needs very little hardware to do VSTOL (just a butterfly valve, a couple of doors and a couple of secondary exhaust ports), would it have been viable to delete the C variant and make the Navy use the VSTOL version

 

[flateric]

"I'm too lazy to read, I want fast answers"