Cyclic - nobody mentioned mountains or safety alt - just a 1500' cloudbase (and that wasn't specified as agl/asl or amsl). In your example a Sea King certainly wouldn't do the IMC transit either. I was questioning the statement about not being able to fly with a cloudbase below 1500' at night and I think Jivusajob forgot to add some specifics to his post.
Not sure how we got on to goggles but the AA will get them eventually and be able to operate at night - which is a good thing - but again there will be a training burden to achieve and maintain competency. In this case, all but a very few ex mil will be ahead of the game and the almost instant level of expertees will be very good for safety.
No one said that rearcrew can't be trained - it is the amount and cost of the training that will be difficult for AAs to absorb.
As for your question about accidents - the same questions would be asked whether it was AA or SAR - the fact that we don't have to operate to Cat A is irrelevant, we have our rules and you have yours, nothing is 100% guaranteed safe.
Shy - can't speak for the SH force but SAR is always 2 pilot for NVG. Thoroughly agree re joined up assets, especially in terms of command and control. Seems to work OK in Scotland so why not the rest of the UK.