Sultan has yet to realize that in the US Army and DOD in general, political motives almost always trump technological realities.
Sikorsky from the start of the FVL technology demonstrator selection was favored by the US Army to be the ultimate supplier for the UH-60 replacement. With all the resources of Sikorsky and Boeing combined, how could they fail? Then Bell all alone, using advanced design tools and proven tilt rotor technology, screwed that all up and succeeded beyond expectations. Does anyone think that if the situation was reversed, and Bell was two years behind schedule, that the US Army would select Bell to proceed to the next stage and build a prototype? Of course not. If Bell had failed as badly in producing a demonstrator aircraft as Sikorsky and Boeing have done, the competition would be over and the SB>1 Defiant would be moving forward in development all alone.
Sultan, what is just, fair and technically correct has no place in the administration of the FVL contracts.
Lots of tradition for that kind of politically adjusted decision making. The C-5 and the F-111 were the prime examples used to illustrate this back in the 1960s,