Never going into "hot" LZ's is not necesarily a bad thing.....unless the guys on the ground are looking for a way out of the serious poo.
Sometimes you just have to stick yer neck out in meeting your basic mission requirement....that being supporting the Grunts out there who are going nose to nose with the bad guys.
In that process they sometimes get hurt and the helicopter, errrr...excuse me....the CH-46 helicopter replacement....will have to earn it's keep by going right down there amongst the bad guys to fetch some poor infantry soldier from Death's Door. (Or does the tilt rotor crowd see themselves above that kind of thing and only operate to "cold" LZ's.....)
Am I seeing a good question for the Osprey
PR guys....that being....as the Osprey is replacing the Phrog (CH-46)....does that mean the Osprey will now take over the Combat Medavac mission or will that evolve to either the CH-53 Helicopter or the UH-1N Helicopter?
Now if the USMC were to find itself buying some UH-60L's....for Combat Medavac that would tell the tale.