While I appreciate the Good General's enthusiasm, the "easy" "very doable" "very good" quotes seem very premature. It looks like we have two tilt-rotors and two tail sitters and one bidder who has never even made a noteworthy aircraft.
Has history given us a "easy" tilt rotor? an "easy" large tail sitter? A workable "open architecture"/plug and play system?
Even the "easy" upgrade to the bigger King Stallion has been a cost and schedule nightmare.
I would prefer honesty from our leaders, not bluster. Touting the V-22 and F-35 as proof of the benefits of pushing technology is one thing, but calling things easy does not help. While the Marines have long sought transformational systems, they have come at a cost. None have been easy, cheap or on time. VTOL from a ship is not what I would call easy.
Last edited by sandiego89; 27th Jun 2017 at 12:07.
Reason: spelling