Yes, the props are mechanically linked, otherwise an engine failure (or even hiccup) would be 100% fatal in hover flight. This also means that engine out handling is the same as a mix-master...no yaw, but 50% less performance. Hopefully enough power to conduct a vertical landing (but I doubt you could launch again).

In the event of a total power loss in cruise flight, the thing can glide to a rough crash-landing...the props are composite and designed so as to not fragment on impact. A total power loss in hover flight would be fatal at low altitudes, but if you have a few thousand feet you can transition to a glide.

Personally I think the low-altitude total power loss risk is being blown out of proportion by the media...the engines are nowhere near each other, and if BOTH of them got shot up, there would probably be other damage that would render the thing non-flyable anyway. They aren't complaining about what would happen if you shot off both rotorheads on a Chinook (or any other helo) . I don't know why the media expects this particular aircraft to be crash-proof...it would be the first and only one ever!

The thing is very expensive though...I sure hope the USMC can leverage it's capabilities enough to offset the additional cost relative to buying a bunch of conventional helos.

But I do know for a fact the SOCOM will get our money's worth out of the capabilities...as long as reliability is good.