Am I the only one getting a feeling of déjà vu?
No, I am getting it also.
Lockheed is proposing extremely complex and expensive helicopter with high speed capability. Bell is offering a low-cost alternative that may not be as fast,but is much lower technical risk.
Yes.
Will history repeat itself?
I think so, but I use the F-35, specifically the F-35B, as the point of comparison.
Does anyone believe that Sikorsky can truly produce a FARA using X-2 technology cheaper than Bell a conventional helicopter with wings?
Probably not.
If both competitors meet minimum performance requirements, how much will the US Army be willing to pay for the X-2 speed?
The politicians will find the money, though, if it means keeping the jobs in their districts and keeping the defense industrial base "diversified." (As in "also in my district"). As Oprah might say
"You get a sub contract, and you get a sub contract, and you get a sub contract..."
Also, speaking of expensive yet they survived: F-35 worked out, so yes, history is likely to repeat itself.
So too did Osprey, which was breaking tech barriers as well.