The Future Of Vertical aviation.

Some news on this front here.
I think that concept looks rather usefull. Not one of those Sci-Fi renderings, but still a little revolutionary. Finally doing away with the tail boom wich just takes up space, and instead fitting a (though complex) coaxial rotor plus those little thrusters seems to be a rather efficient solution.
Even though it's in a very eraly stage and maybe still mainly just a marketing thing for now.

US Army To Launch JMR Mission-System Studies
Mar 27, 2012 - By Graham Warwick

FORT EUSTIS, Va. — Bids are due April 1 for trade studies to define the mission-system capabilities and technologies for the U.S. Army’s planned Joint Multi Role (JMR) rotorcraft.

The Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD) is planning a two-phase JMR technology demonstration, beginning in fiscal 2013 with air-vehicle development and flight testing.
Mission-system development and testing are planned to begin two years later, in fiscal 2015, in recognition that electronics advance faster than airframes, rotors, engines and drive systems.
Phase 2 will kick off with the award of multiple contracts for mission-system effectiveness trades and analyses — equivalent to the air-vehicle configuration studies already under way at AVX Aircraft, Boeing, Bell-Boeing and Sikorsky.

As with the air-vehicle studies, mission-system bidders are being asked to identify those “game-changing” technologies that need maturing through flight demonstration to be ready for JMR full-scale development beginning early in the next decade. There are several supporting technology-development efforts under way this year. “We are having to do some things in parallel, which is not ideal,” says Keith Arnold, team lead for teaming and intelligence within AATD’s systems integration division. ...

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The AVX Concept Trouble is the maker Has no Manufacturing capacity at this point there mostly a think tank which is why I side with Sikorsky's X2 development. But your right it is a interesting concept, It seems were are now entering the Age of the coaxial main rotor.

Yeah, in this day & age were military helos are becoming really complex machines with all the gimmicks put into them, there's no valid point anymore arguing against the coaxial rotor on the grounds of complexity. It does away with the danger of the helo spinning out of control if the tail is hit by a lucky RPG. And I believe the russians made some pretty good experiances with their helos.
For practical reasons it's indeed better to have somebody with production capacity & experiance doing the job. Although the X2 seems to be at the lightweight end. And for a Joint Tactical Lift requirement might not be enough.
Tough it seems to be a good shot at tactical (armed) recce and SpecOp insertion.

The X2 was a demonstration Right now they are working on the next demonstrator with the goal of pushing for the Army's armed scout, But it would also if accepted possibly be up for the JMR Light and Sikorsky has produced concepts for a family of X2 based rotor craft in the light, Medium and attack class and early indications of a Heavy but as yet no Ultra class Although I feel those latter two would be better served by a Tilt rotor type aircraft.




AVX is also in the Armed scout there offering is however a rebuild of the Oh58 with coaxial rotors and ducted fans

The comments with the Aviation Week article make sense. These craft look too complex.

Thanks too rigid rotors the complexity of the coaxial rotor is actually going down. the prime issue would be the secondary rotor(s) Ie the thruster, or props but those kinds of mechanics are already in most helicopters tail rotors.
One of the Reasons for these programs indeed this thread is a simple fact.
look around the world at the helicopter programs, perhaps the whole industry and it's stagnated. The latest american Army utility helicopter the UH72 Lakota is a modification of a European model it's self a modification of another that dates back to 1979! The Latest American Attacker is a rebuild of a early 80's late 70's chopper. That's just par for the course. The PLA's top helicopter (Z9) and it's latest (WZ19) are based on the Eurocopter Dauphin it's self a derivative of the Aerospatiale SA 360 Dauphin dating too 1976.
The Helicopter is stuck in a Disco and not coming out. Save for the occasional rouge Like say the NH90 or the AW101 they are almost all based on modifications of seventies era ships. sure they have better engines larger capabilities and better bells and whistles but they are all moving at the same top speed and same altitude restrictions.

Take the fasted conventional helicopter on record that is the Uk's Linx helicopter at 249.1 MPH that's 400.87 Km/H The X2 is recorded at setting a record for 299 Mph or 481 Km/h. in order too get too speed most conventional helicopters have too nose down. but this can cause safety issues as you are loosing altitude well a compound with pusher or tractor will produce speed and thrust in a level flight.
Afghanistan has pointed out above all other conflicts, Regions, that Mountains are still Mountains even the most advanced helicopters are climbing like tired old men in the Hindu Kush. the reason the Army cooked up the JMR was not just because it's rotory fleet was aging but also because they are finding it wanting.