The new ones are delicate junk, specified by political hacks and designed to those specs. I know. by late 77 I was one of the designers. the only one NOT speced by political hacks was the OH-58 D. We built and when all the other crap fell on it's ass. they bought an "Upgrade" from Bell. The reason they gave away and or destroyed all the cobras was... They knew if the the LHX/ARH 66 fell on it's ass Bell would be waiting with small single engine cobra upgrades to take it's place. The folks that selected the Apache and the UH-60 should be whipped. Right now the marines have a "super cobra that is kiciking ass with low maintenance and coming online is the AH-1Z. an "upgrade in name only" that will be around long after we're gone. The crap built by Sikorsky and Boeing (CH47 excepted) won't perform high and hot, or live in the dirt.
I flew all kinds of choppers and the only 2 I ever felt safe in were the OH-6 and Any kind of Bell.
BT