X-32 - Engineering of a Technology Demonstrator - Just another X-Plane

X-planes have been the proving ground for innovative flight technologies for decades. The American X-Planes stand out as the best-known and most fabled and celebrated research aircraft of aviation history.

Talking about engineering the right stuff... Some of NASA's famous X-planes, a series of experimental aircraft launched in the 1940s, like the X-1, X-2, X-15, and X-43, pushed the envelope of aviation technology in terms of speed; the X-1 was the first plane to break the sound barrier, the X-2 was the first plane to fly pact Mach 3, the X-15 was the first aircraft to fly at hypersonic speeds and played a role in helping the US make the Space Shuttle a reality, and the X-43 made history in 2004 when it became the first air-breathing plane to fly hypersonically.

X-15 "Number 1" with Neil Armstrong who was one of the 12 NASA X-15 test pilots in the 60ties, Armstrong later a NASA astronaut and first man to set foot on the Moon.

Charles Elwood "Chuck" Yeager and the Bell X-1 aka Glamorous Glennis. The Ridley/Yeager USAF team achieved Mach 2.44 on December 12, 1953

X-24B on Rogers Dry Lake with research pilots Einar Enevoldson, John Manke, Richard Scobee, Tom McMurtry, Bill Dana, and Michael Love in 1976.

Others, such as the X-29, X-31, and X-36, conquered areas of aviation in terms of maneuverability and aerodynamics, with the X-29 testing the viability of forward swept wing fighters and the X-36 testing the soundness of combat planes without horizontal or vertical stabilizers. Because America's X-series aircraft were (and are) one the many reasons that America is great in terms of technological innovation.

"By playing around with the shape of the aircraft, it might be possible to engineer a shockwave which isn’t so loud" ~ NASA

As it now stands, the exploits of America's great X-planes have been expanded further; the X-51 conquered a new realm of hypersonic flight in 2010 by becoming the first plane to conduct sustained hypersonic air-breathing flight; the X-45 and X-47 Pegasus laid the framework for the forthcoming MQ-25 Stingray carrier-based UCAV; the X-48 will become a stepping stone for large blended wing body transports that can carry passengers, freight, soldiers, and military equipment, as well as refuel, while the Piasecki X-49 has helped the US armed services push ahead with developing an array of compound helicopters, including the Sikorsky S-97 Raider. All X-planes designed had one mission rule in common: to transcend boundaries and failure is not an option.

Fast forward mid 90ties - the need for a next generation fighter is born: the Joint Strike Fighter

The Boeing X-32, an X-plane with stealth and multi-role fighter capabilities, is an aircraft I had the privilege to work on as an aerospace design engineer for Fokker, an Aerostructures company who build in the past the F27 Friendship, F50, F70 and F100, to name a few Fokker aircraft, during the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) competition. The JSF competition took place between Lockheed Martin and Boeing Company who were both rewarded four-year design contracts by the US Department of Defense to develop two concept demonstrator aircraft (CDA) 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).

Boeing X-32B Propulsion system STOVL concept.

Fokker and Boeing teaming up on JSF X-32 Technology Demonstrator

Fokker was from early on involved as a technology partner during the development of the concept demonstrators and the definition of the Preferred Weapon System Concept (PWSC) for both Boeing Company and Lockheed Martin's X-35, due to being a partner on the General Dynamics' F16 Fighting Falcon program. NASA's X-plane programs come with long term benefits when companies and engineers are involved in X-plane research projects as new technologies are being developed and tested, these technologies also find their way finally back in daily life applications. X-Plane programs have proven to back the aerospace industry and keep the industry growing and advancing. For example the Rockwell-MBB X-31 with its advanced trust vectoring (Enhanced Fighter Maneuverability program) capabilities.

Fokker's Engineering team, located in the Netherlands, did work closely together with Boeing Company's JSF engineers to develop a CFRP vertical tail demonstrator for the X-32A and X-32B. Purpose of the engineering work done for Boeing was besides delivery of components for the test aircraft to qualify as a preferred supplier on the JSF program when Boeing would be the winner of the System Development and Demonstration (SSD) phase. One of the focus points during the JSF competition was to introduce extensive use of CFRP surface panels within the aircraft structure to enhance the stealth capabilities. Fokker had as one of the first aircraft manufactures in the industry, in a very early stage, adopted CFRP as a prime airframe material and conducted advanced research in composite materials and its applications for the Fokker family of aircraft.

As an aerospace design engineer for Fokker, I successfully worked on the ply-book of both composite laminate skins, spars layup of the composite vertical tail, the overall package and assembly. The engineering work I performed was mainly done in 3D CAD (CATIA Dassault Systèmes - Advanced Surface Modeling / Solid Modeling and Fiber Sim) applied on the skins and several spars and skin stiffeners.

X-32 Challenges and Final Engineering Outcome

There were several design and engineering challenges for the team to design a vertical tail which was also going to function as a fuel tank. The Fokker engineering team, I was member of, was capable to design a full scale composite vertical tail technology demonstrator exceeding Boeing's fighter technology requirements and standards within a competitive X-plane project between Lockheed Martin and Boeing. That entailed that the Fokker's engineering team was successful to deliver (including shipping of the shipsets to Boeing's Phantom works), meet all requirements and develop a state-to-the-art technology demonstrator within the given time schedule, interface with several X-32 design teams and successfully challenged the vertical tail aggressive weight targets by developing a very "thin" vertical tail concept. Finally the X-32A had 4 months of flight testing and over 66 successful sorties above Mojave Desert.

X-32 JSF-Boeing Vertical Tail Technology Demonstrator Engineering Team at Fokker, the Netherlands. Delivery and champagne toast with JSF Engineering team - celebrating good times and achievement of business targets. (Photos courtesy of: Boeing Company & Fokker)

As of today I am truly proud that I have been given the chance to work within a dedicated team of Fokker aerospace engineers to be involved in the development of the Boeing X-32's CFRP vertical tail technology demonstrator. (CFRP = Carbon fiber reinforced polymer). Working on Boeing X-32 with Fokker legacy engineers such as George Reurings, a Fokker Aircraft composite material expert and aircraft conceptual design engineer, was a true enrichment and joy.

Unveiling of both X-32's at the end of the 20th Century - recognition from JSF program management: Frank Statkus & Michael Heinz.

JSF's X-32 and X-35 Technology Demonstrator Competition and System Development & Demonstration Phase

The Fokker Boeing JSF engineering team got recognition for exceeding all the deliverables from Boeing and Fokker got awarded being selected as a prime airframe and structure supplier of Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS) division. The JSF contract for System Development and Demonstration (SDD) of the fifth-generation jet fighter was awarded on 26 October 2001 to Lockheed Martin, whose X-35 beat the Boeing X-32. Lockheed Martin's X-35 was renamed after the SDD phase into the F-35 Lightning II and currently entered service in the USA. It's also exciting news that NASA has announced to that it will initiate a new 10 year X-plane program which will mainly focuses on: reducing fuel use, emissions, and noise by the way aircraft are designed.

New technologies and assembly methods introduced on X-32. Production & Engineering of X-32 Behind the scenes at Boeing Phantom Works in Palmdale, California. (Photos courtesy of: Boeing Company)

X-32 Videos and Background Information

The background and Boeing's approach on designing and building the 21th century multi-role stealth fighter

The JSF Competition explained. The battle of the X-Planes - part 1

Relevant JSF and NASA's X-Plane stories

Story about Boeing X-32: Boeing X32

NASA Aeronautics Budget Proposes Return of X-Planes: X-Planes Nasa

The F-35 debuts in the Netherlands airspace: F-35 lands in Europe

U.S. X-plane Aircraft from Origin to Present Day List of US X-planes

NASA Moves to Begin Historic New Era of X-Plane Research NASA's X-Plane

Gen. Chuck Yeager's story on How He Broke The Sound Barrier and changed the future of aviation forever.

X-Planes in the Media and Movies

As of today NASA's X-Planes do inspire movie makers, celebrities and Swiss watch makers :-) We can conclude that working as an engineer in the aerospace industry isn't boring at all, if you are working with the right team, the right vision, the right system architects, the right management (who can inspire, motivate and enable engineers) and right stuff - then technically everything is possible and can be realized. :-)

X-15 - Photo courtesy of: Breitling SA, Grenchen, Switzerland.

The Right Stuff - 1983 American movie: Navy, Marine and Air Force test pilots who were involved in aeronautical research at Edwards Air Force Base

The Right Stuff (Disney+)

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Alexander Rétif is an Aerospace- and Automotive Engineering Professional. 

He was involved in aerospace leading companies such as: British Aerospace BAe, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Boeing Company, Eurocopter, Fokker, Arianespace, Eurofighter Typhoon program, Stork-Fokker, NHIndustries, Fokker-Aerostructures B.V.

Automotive Engineering projects done for: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. PORSCHE AG, PORSCHE Engineering GmbH, Opel, Skoda, DaimlerChrysler AG, FORD Motor Company GmbH.

Mechanical Engineering projects done for: ASEA Brown Boveri AG (Switzerland), AMEC BV.

Check out Alexander Rétif's other publications here: Publications More about his engineering background and profile you can here: Engineering Background and Profile

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