Sticker Shock: The Cost of US Military Aircraft

[onedomino]

These numbers are staggering. They represent the cost per unit (PCU) of each aircraft type. The PCU combines R&D plus production costs. It is great to have by far the best air superiority fighter in the world in the F22, but at $355 million per copy?! Moreover, at these prices we can only afford 184 units. And what's with 28 "Marine One" Presidential helicopters at an astounding $220 million each?

Below, see the PCU cost per aircraft followed by the number we intend to purchase. Some of these aircraft types are currently being purchased (e.g., the F22) and some are still in the R&D phase (e.g., the F35). Who wants to bet that actual F35s will be delivered at "only" $122 million each?

$ 5.6M UH-145 Light Utility Helicopter (322)
$ 10.5M ARH-70 Advanced Reconnaissance Helicopter (512)
$ 26.6M CH-47F Chinook heavy lift helicopter - low R&D (512)
$ 29.6M MH-60S Naval helicopter (267)
$ 46.1M MH-60R Multi-mission naval helicopter (254)
$119.2M MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor (458)
$121.1M CH-53K Naval heavy lift helicopter (156)
$219.5M VH-71 "Marine One" Presidential helicopters (28)
$ 93.9M F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet (494)
$ 98.4M C-130J Hercules transport (82)
$102.1M C-5M RERP refurbish/re-engining (111)
$104.6M EA-18G Growler (80)
$111.1M RQ-4 Global Hawk UAV (54)
$122.0M F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (2,458)
$233.2M E-2D Advanced Hawkeye naval AWACS (75)
$286.6M P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft (114)
$328.8M C-17A Globemaster III (190)
$354.9M F-22 Raptor (184)

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2007/04/defenseaerospace-estimates-us-aircraft-costs/index.php

 

[hjmick]

And I've got parts on damn near every one of those babies. Here's to job security!

 

[NATO AIR]

Much like the cost of American cruise missiles, when similar models with only slightly less accuracy can be had for $10,000 or less. Hell, that's why Iran can afford to have tens of thousands of them aimed at us in the Gulf.

 

[onedomino]

Much like the cost of American cruise missiles, when similar models with only slightly less accuracy can be had for $10,000 or less. Hell, that's why Iran can afford to have tens of thousands of them aimed at us in the Gulf.

But there is this to consider:

Simulations conducted by British Aerospace and the British Defense Research Agency compared the effectiveness of the F-15C, Rafale, EF-2000, and F-22 against the Russian Su-35 armed with active radar missiles similar to the AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). The Rafale achieved a 1:1 kill ratio (1 Su-35 destroyed for each Rafale lost). The EF-2000 kill ratio was 4.5:1 while the F-22 achieved a ratio of 10:1. In stark contrast was the F-15C, losing 1.3 Eagles for each Su-35 destroyed. http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/f-15.htm