trying to change the argument, you must be a liberal
Sasless,
I can only assume that you either need to get your bifocals checked or you don’t understand the question. The XV-15 has as much in common with V-22 as the S-76 does with the CH-53K or the X2. If it takes 12 years to install new engines, add a blade, glass cockpit, develop some control laws and probably some airframe mods, then is it unrealistic that it takes twice that to do everything from the wheels up? My point being that 25 years IS too long, so is 12. I would hope we could do a new type in 12 and an upgrade in half that, but we can’t. Not on V-22, not on CH53K, not on EH101. Why does it take 19 years to develop the 101 and then another 9 to make it VH-71? Why does it take Sikorsky 12 years to develop the S92 and then 9 more to turn it into a CH148? Looking at historical averages the V-22 is not out of line, unfortunately. Whilst you place the blame with the aircraft and conspiracy theories, I place it with a faulty procurement system and scope creep. Having worked at NAVAIR as a Marine (not on the V-22 program by the way) I would blame at least half of the cost and schedule overruns on the inefficiencies of developing an aircraft with the govt. I’ve seen stuff that OEM’s could have done in a week take 6 months to get thru NAVAIR red tape. Perhaps you've never been on a development program and therefore don't understand the issues.
Dan,
No need to wring your hands, we all know that you are hysterical and emotionally loyal to your cause, why would you need facts when you have ideology? I have grave concerns about someone who (I assume) graduated from Naval Flight School and believes what he reads on Carltons blog much less post from it. Like the V-22 or not at least get a better source of intel, perhaps then we won’t need to worry about reeducating you.
Like you I’m not sure about the utility of the gun on the V-22. Unlike you I’ll trust the people operating the aircraft and whose lives are on the line to decide what they need. I agree with Sasless that looking over the barrel of the gun is light years better than looking thru a 12 inch display. But I’ll trust our Marine and Airmen to make it work. I’ve been to Iraq, flown from the same operating areas that the CH-46s, 53s and 22s are flying from. While there were not any V-22s there during my deployment I don’t recall ANY of the 46’s or 53’s going into a hot zone. We are not in Vietnam anymore nor are we using the same tactics.