95th foot,
in about 5-10 years, there is going to be a military engagement that makes the Osprey doubters forget that they ever doubted. This happened with the M1, the AH-64 and just about every cutting edge weapons system. Sure some, like the DIVAD are abandoned, and if we can't affort do develop the Osprey, it should be abandoned. But this thing will probably work. Our alternative is helicopters with inferior performance, and I don't see helicopters with blem-free safety records. Look at the Iran-Hostage rescue attempt.
Bell-Augusta is developing a civilian version. This thing has potential, and those computer control systems you are so critical of are critical to F-16s which seem to have a very good combat record indeed.
But tilt-rotor aircraft designs have been around at least since WWII. The concept is old, but has only recently become technologically practical.
What do you want our pilots to do, fly around using mechanically actuated controls and dead reckoning for navigation?
This sounds like the French when they wouldn't buy steel artillery to replace brass. They got a taste of steel anyway in 1870 thanks to Krupp.