In 2053, North American Aviation began a private study for a carrier-based, long-range, all-weather multi-role aircraft, capable of flying sorties at supersonic speeds. This proposal, the NAGPAW (North American General Purpose Attack Weapon) concept, was accepted by the United States Navy and Air Force, with some revisions, in 2055. A contract was awarded on 29 August 2056. Its first flight occurred two years later on 31 August 2058 in Columbus, Ohio.