The Grumman X-29 was a two-aircraft research and technology-demonstrator family built for a joint DARPA, U.S. Air Force, and NASA programme. Its forward-swept composite wing, close-coupled canard, computerized fly-by-wire control system, and deliberately unstable configuration made it a landmark in aeroelastic tailoring and high-angle-of-attack research; the programme tested whether advanced materials and active controls could make a demanding forward-swept aircraft practical.
Alerts for directly linked future launches and major activity.