The $100M price tag for a vanilla MV-22 sounds high - most estimates are closer to $71-74M, with NAVAIR demanding a reduction to $58M by 2010. The mission-equipped CV-22 is probably closer to the $100M mark (just as SOAR's birds cost $20M to upgrade from Ds or Fs).
The oft-quoted 99% mission readiness rate for the MH-47E (during 72 missions over a three month period in OEF) indicates a carefully-planned schedule and a hard-worked ground crew ! Publicly-released mission capable rates for the CH-47D in OEF are closer to 60%, and 80% for OIF.
That said, the Chinook’s achievements in-theater have been spectacular, and the uprated donks have substantially improved the fleet’s performance (it wasn't that long ago that Congress and the media were taking pot shots at the MH-47E for its lack of high-alt performance).
SASless - you're spot-on with the blade folding comments. While it does meet the Corps' spotting requirements, that little trick doesn't come cheap, and the weight penalty is significant.
Graviman - it'll really get interesting once the electric drive systems now entering mass production for automotive and marine applications begin to improve in efficiency, reliability and weight. That then opens up the possibility of a mission-optimized powerplant located on the aircraft's fuselage driving motor-driven proprotors, thereby doing away with the cost and complexity of individual powertrains on each wing.
I/C