Commonly referred to as Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing (V/STOL) aircraft, V/STOL planes arose from aviators' desire to combine the takeoff and landing abilities of helicopters with the fast, long-range flight abilities of airplanes. V/STOL technology has been of particular interest to the military, since it both enhances the ability of aircraft to operate from platforms other than aircraft carriers, as well as to operate in remote areas where airports with adequate runways are not available.

V/STOL development began shortly after the end of World War II, and after a number of failures (an inevitable part of experimentation with new technology) the first V/STOL prototype, the Hawker P1127, made its initial test flights in 1960. This prototype eventually led to production of the most successful V/STOL aircraft yet produced the AV-8 Harrier "Jump jet."

Although...