Why folding is not the V-22's central technical problem

How much has the V-22 Osprey's ability to fold contributed to its problems?

Less than the inherent difficulty of tiltrotor transition flight and first-generation design maturity; later generations are the better test of the concept.

The V-22's ability to fold for shipboard storage is not identified as the main source of its difficulties. Transition between helicopter and airplane flight creates the more demanding aerodynamic and mechanical problem. As a first-generation operational tiltrotor, the Osprey also carries development burdens that should not automatically be projected onto every successor. The V-280 Valor, AW609, and other later concepts illustrate how the architecture can mature through repeated designs. For a demanding role such as airborne early warning, the panel expects reliability and integration to become credible only after a second or third generation.