This is one of two X-31A Enhanced Fighter Maneuverability (EFM) demonstrators built. The two X-31 were built by Rockwell International and DASA as part of an international research program funded by the US Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) and the German Federal Ministry of Defense (BMVg). Both X-31A were assigned to the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center to obtain data that may apply to the design of highly maneuverable next-generation fighters. The first flight took place on Oct 11, 1990. 164584 was written off on Jan 19, 1995, and 164858 was airlifted to Munich on June 22, 2003.

The X-31 program tried to improve the manoeuvrability of fighter planes through thrust vectoring, which is performed by three thrust-deflecting "paddles" behind the engine controlled automatically by the digital flight control system. This permits tactical manoeuvres at a 70-degree angle of attack, far beyond the stall angle of conventional aircraft. In total more than 400 flying hours were logged between 1990-1995 and 2001-2003 at Edwards AFB, CA, and NAS Patuxent River. This second and last testbed is now on display at the Deutsches Museum - Flugwerft Schleissheim.

[Nikon D300 + Tokina 12-24mm/4]

Thrust vectoring test aircraft preserved at Oberschleissheim.

The surviving example of the thrust-vectoring X-31 is preserved at the Flugwerft Schleissheim.