Many DARPA projects over the years have approached similar X-65 design goals of increased flight control, modularity/redundancy. One of my favorites was Pulse Ejector Thrust Augmentation (PETA). Wired's sensational take on it is at https://www.wired.com/2011/07/boeings-millennium-falcon-floa...

One of the big benefits of X-65/PETA/et al is generating increased lift at takeoff and landing without the wings. One can think of it as a hybrid or multi-lift design. The wings for flight are smaller since it is augmented with other controlled lift/thrust, and this allows the aircraft to be lighter and smaller since it doesn't need huge wings for the low-speed takeoff and landing.