November 16

What happened on November 16 in aviation and space history.

• November 16, 1996

  Boeing and Lockheed Martin selected for the Joint Strike Fighter concept demonstration phase

  Institutional — Defense Secretary William J. Perry announced at the Pentagon that Boeing and Lockheed Martin would be the two contractors for the Joint Strike Fighter concept demonstration phase. Lockheed Martin received a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract worth 718.8 million dollars for the X-35 and Boeing one of roughly 661.8 million for the X-32. Each team was to build two demonstrators able to validate all three intended developments: conventional take-off and landing, short take-off and vertical landing, and carrier operation.