It's not that I don't think tiltrotors aren't cool or anything, but I just have concerns on whether they're as survivable in a shooting war as people seem to think they are.
I'm not a 22 guy so maybe i'm way off base here so please correct me if I'm wrong.
The Valor, for the size of aircraft that it is, is a pretty big target from the front. In a service where space is a premium, I think the ideal is to have something that folds up nice that doesn't need a whole evolution to rotate the wings and extend the blades. At least the E2/C2 can start up without unfolding its wings. The V-22 needs to be carted out all folded up.
Sure the 22 can KIND of autorotate, but not very well. In the case of a single engine failure, one nacelle can power both rotors/props through drive shafts that travel through the wings from one side to the other, but how confident are we that they'll perform with battle damage?
I just think it's not very smart to double down and put all of our eggs in the tiltrotor basket.
Sikorsky X2 tech via the Defiant/Raider definitely deserve a second look.
The Fairey Rotodyne was really ahead of its time and I think the technology could use a second look.
Kinda out there, but this is also a really neat concept. Imagine a main rotor that doesn't need the extra weight of a transmission. Bleed air from the turboprop engines is pushed through the rotor blades to tiny tip jets on the end and ignited to spin the blades. Once you transition to forward flight, the tip jets turn off and the main rotor spins entirely decoupled, essentially in autorotation the entire flight. If you lose both engines, you can auto to the deck. You can also land conventionally. #1 and #2 engines along with the wing provide enough forward thrust and lift to keep the main rotor spinning fast enough to provide lift. You don't need a tail rotor. It could carry 19,000lbs and travel 190mph.
