In 1996, the U.S. Department of Defense awarded Boeing a contract for the concept demonstration phase of the Joint Strike Fighter, or JSF, program competition. Boeing assembled two concept demonstration aircraft, X-32A and X-32B, at its plant in Palmdale, CA that validated the company's approach to commonality; low-speed handling qualities and carrier approach; and short-takeoff-and vertical-landing, or STOVL, hover and transition between conventional and vertical flight. Although Boeing was not selected for full-scale development of the JSF, the program yielded many advances in stealth technology and design and manufacturing methods have been applied to other Boeing programs.