SASless,
No, this is the correct response. Tiltrotors are not helicopters. Just like a Corvette will not haul a half ton of cargo, or a 8 x 4 sheet of plywood, a truck cannot go 0-60 in 4 sec, or pull one G in a corner.
There are some missions where the aircraft capabilities overlap, and because of the V-280 increased size and power, the V-280 matches the and lift capability of a Blackhawk. But again, why would you want to waste a expensive asset like a tilt rotor to do a cargo job that can be done cheaper by a conventional Helicopter?
Increased speed and range requirements drive design compromises. However, the V280 achieved the performance specifications required by the US Army, and exceeded others like range and speed.
I did not say the V280 is replacing the Blackhawk, that quote was made by press trying to get a story line. I said that the Blackhawk would continue in the fleet, performing roles where it is better suited to its capabilities.
If I came across as harsh, it comes from decades of responding to people who regurgitate what they read or see online from clearly biased sources. Just a few minutes doing research today allows an individual in most cases to determine what is true and what is false.
Back in the 80s, I was working on the F/A-18 Hornet. In the early days of the F/A-18 program we had to continuously respond to criticism that the aircraft did not match the payload of an A-6, or the speed of an F-14.
Recently, when the V-22 was selected by the Navy for the COD mission, similar criticism was leveled.
Note: A tiltrotor is not a fixed wing aircraft either.
I think SAS is correct here. If what Sultan said is true, what I will say is moot, but all we have experienced so far in form of Osprey leaves a lot to be desired. While it is true that tilt rotors are neither the helicopter nor the fixed wing aircraft, you can't tout speed and range and just dismiss "helicopter part " of the job. What is the point of sending tiltrotor, in this case 280, to do a mission of insertion, extraction, medevac (anything where hovering/vertical landing is required) if it can't do the final part? Yes, it will get there faster and then what?