10 Most expensive military machines (10 Photos)

10 Most expensive military machines (10 Photos)

 

1) P-8A Poseidon
 Antisubmarine Airplane

$206 million per plane

The P-8 conducts anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASUW), and shipping interdiction, along with an electronic signals intelligence (ELINT) role. This involves carrying torpedoes, depth charges, SLAM-ER missiles, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and other weapons. It is able to drop and monitor sonobuoys.

Total Cost (Research and Development): $33 billion

 

2) CVN-78 Class Aircraft Carrier

Cost per carrier: $9.7 billion

Gerald R. Ford class is a class of supercarriers currently being built to replace some of the United States Navy’s existing Nimitz-class carriers. The new vessels will have a hull similar to the Nimitz carriers, but will introduce technologies developed since the initial design of the previous class (such as the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System), as well as other design features intended to improve efficiency and operating costs, including reduced crew requirement. The first ship of the class, the Gerald R. Ford, has hull number CVN-78.

Total cost (R&D): $34 billion

 

3) Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected

Cost per MRAP: $1.6 million

MRAP’s are vehicles that are designed specifically to withstand improvised explosive device (IED) attacks and ambushes.

Total Cost (R&D): $34 billion

 

4) Trident II Missile

Cost per missile: $65.7 million

The Trident II is considered to be a durable sea-based system capable of engaging many targets.

Total Cost (R&D): $41.6 billion

 

5) V-22 Osprey

Cost per helo: $95.2 million

V-22 Osprey is an American multi-mission, military, tiltrotor aircraft with both a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), and short takeoff and landing (STOL) capability. It is designed to combine the functionality of a conventional helicopter with the long-range, high-speed cruise performance of a turboprop aircraft.

Total Cost (R&D): $57.8 billion

 

6) F/A-18 Super Hornet

Cost per jet: $90.8 million

The F/A-18E Super Hornet and related twin-seat F/A-18F are twin-engine carrier-capable multirole fighter aircraft variants based on the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. The F/A-18E single-seat and F/A-18F tandem-seat variants are larger and more advanced derivatives of the F/A-18C and D Hornet. The Super Hornet has an internal 20 mm M61 rotary cannon and can carry air-to-air missiles and air-to-surface weapons. Additional fuel can be carried in up to five external fuel tanks and the aircraft can be configured as an airborne tanker by adding an external air refueling system.

Total Cost (R&D): $57.8 billion

 

7) F-22 Raptor

Cost per jet: $211.6 million

The F-22 Raptor is a single-seat, twin-engine, all weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). The result of the USAF’s Advanced Tactical Fighter program, the aircraft was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but has additional capabilities including ground attack, electronic warfare, and signals intelligence roles.

Total Cost (R&D): $79.2 billion

 

8) Virginia Class Submarine

Cost per sub: $2.5 billion

The Virginia is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines (hull classification symbol SSN) in service with the United States Navy. The submarines are designed for a broad spectrum of open-ocean and littoral missions.

Total Cost (R&D): $83.7 billion

 

9) DDG-51 Destroyer

Cost per destroyer: $1.3 billion

They were designed as multi-role destroyers to fit the AAW (Anti-Aircraft Warfare) role with their powerful Aegis radar and surface-to-air missiles; ASW (Anti-submarine warfare) role, with their towed sonar array, anti-submarine rockets, and ASW helicopter; ASUW (Anti-surface warfare) role with their Harpoon (missile) launcher; and strategic land strike role with their Tomahawk (missile)s. Some versions of the class no longer have the towed sonar, or Harpoon missile launcher. Their hull and superstructure were designed to have a reduced radar cross section.

Total cost (R&D): $101.8 billion

 

10) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

Cost per jet: $109.5 million

The F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole fighters undergoing testing and final development. The fifth generation combat aircraft is designed to perform ground attack, aerial reconnaissance, and air defense missions. The F-35 has three main models: the F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant, the F-35B short take-off and vertical-landing (STOVL) variant, and the F-35C carrier-based Catapult Assisted Take-Off Barrier Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) variant.

Total cost (R&D): $326.5 billion