Originally Posted by
SplineDrive
Defiant is a year late to scheduled first flight? Sikorsky and Boeing must have known they were falling behind schedule for a long time before today's official announcement. Contracted first flight is only a few months away.
I don't think S and B upper management were in the dark about this. They are a good company with smart people in charge.
I can only guess that Defiant management was playing the equivalent of a starring contest with the Bell V-280 program. S and B hoped Bell would blink first and ask the government for an contract extension first. Problem for the Defiant program was Bell appeared to be meeting schedule.
With only months remaining before the truth would be obvious to all Sikorsky and Boeing blinked.
Running into technical or procurement difficulties is understandable. Holding back information that your program is a year behind schedule until a few months before first flight is unacceptable contractor behavior.