PALMDALE, CA, Sept. 18, 2000 -- The Boeing Joint Strike Fighter X-32A concept demonstrator takes off on its first flight, meeting a major program milestone. The flight, from Palmdale to Edwards Air Force Base, CA, marked the aircraft's entry into a five-month flight-test program with approximately 50 test flights totaling about 100 hours to validate the JSF's flying qualities and performance for conventional and aircraft carrier operations. During flight test, Boeing was to demonstrate how it had reduced risk in key areas as well as its ability to meet all of the customers' requirements. The X-32A was one of two concept demonstrators Boeing built to demonstrate the design concepts used for the operational JSF.