The X-32 featured a large chin mounted air intake and a large one piece carbon fiber composite wing, neither of which contributed to the sleek, awe-inspiring look expected from a high tech fighter, though the design does resemble the design of some Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV).
The two X-32 prototypes featured a delta wing design, which was chosen to minimize production manufacturing costs. However, eight months into construction of the prototypes, the JSF's maneuverability and payload requirements were refined at the request of the Navy and Boeing's delta wing design fell short of the new targets.
The first flight of the X-32A (designed for CTOL and carrier trials) took place in September 2000, from Boeing's Palmdale plant to Edwards Air Force Base. The X-32B demonstrated STOVL flight, first flying in March 2001. The X-32 achieved STOVL flight in much the same way as the AV-8B Harrier II with thrust vectoring of the jet and fan exhaust.
