[PopularMechanics] Still in service more than 30 years after introduction, the Apache has been flying a lot longer than anyone anticipated. The Army is finally bent on replacing it with the FVL program. The middleweight aircraft will replace both the UH-60 Blackhawk and the AH-64 Apache. At some point the Army has to redirect the funding hose away from existing programs and into newer ones, and that point is now. The Army may buy more -E models in the near future, but that would be to replace existing helicopters lost in crashes or combat operations.Meanwhile, Apache maker Boeing is pressing ahead with plans for an -F model, with or without the Army. Many of the Apache's overseas sales didn't occur for a decade or more after the helicopter entered U.S. service. If the same happens with the armed FVL aircraft, it might not attract foreign buyers until 2040 or later. Meanwhile, an -F model Apache could act as bridge--a very lucrative bridge indeed as the Apache continues to gain fame as a proven combat platform."