Thanks for saving me the time and responding
Splinedrive,
Thank you for saving me the time, and responding with most of the points I would’ve been making. Building on one point that really concerns me, is training the next generation of rotorcraft engineers.
Boeing’s capability to develop a clean sheet rotorcraft design (as you pointed out), ceased existence two decades ago.
Without a DOD customer to fund the cost of developing Sikorsky’s X-2 technology, Lockheed will be pulling the plug on all future X-2 investment.
This leaves, both Boeing and Sikorsky engineering teams performing only upgrades to existing platforms for probably another decade.
The only hope for either companies long term future is to invest in developing a new generation of commercial rotorcraft. Had it not been for Nick Lappos convincing Textron management to invest in the fly by wire Bell 525, Bell would likely never have been able to develop the V-280 Valor.