[ { "name": "F-35 Lightning II", "slug": "f-35", "category": "Fighter Aircraft", "service": "Multi-Service", "contractor": "Lockheed Martin", "unitCost": 80, "totalCost": 1700000, "costOverrun": 183, "units": 2456, "delivered": 1000, "description": "Fifth-generation stealth multirole combat aircraft. The most expensive weapons program in history.", "lifetimeCost": "$1.7 trillion", "status": "In Production", "startYear": 2001, "iocYear": 2015, "notes": "Lifetime cost includes 66 years of operations. Unit cost dropped from $237M to ~$80M. Program has faced chronic delays, software issues, and engine problems.", "costBillions": 1700, "costOverrunLabel": "183% over budget", "unitCostLabel": "$80M per unit", "manufacturer": "Lockheed Martin" }, { "name": "F-22 Raptor", "slug": "f-22", "category": "Fighter Aircraft", "service": "Air Force", "contractor": "Lockheed Martin", "unitCost": 334, "totalCost": 67300, "costOverrun": 89, "units": 195, "delivered": 195, "description": "Fifth-generation stealth air superiority fighter. Production ended in 2011.", "status": "Active", "startYear": 1986, "iocYear": 2005, "notes": "Originally planned 750 aircraft, cut to 195. Never used in air-to-air combat. Cost per flight hour: ~$68,000.", "costBillions": 67.3, "costOverrunLabel": "89% over budget", "unitCostLabel": "$0.3B per unit", "manufacturer": "Lockheed Martin" }, { "name": "B-21 Raider", "slug": "b-21", "category": "Bomber", "service": "Air Force", "contractor": "Northrop Grumman", "unitCost": 753, "totalCost": 203000, "costOverrun": null, "units": 100, "delivered": 0, "description": "Next-generation stealth strategic bomber to replace the B-2 Spirit.", "status": "Development", "startYear": 2015, "iocYear": 2027, "notes": "First flight December 2023. One of few recent programs on cost/schedule. Classified program details.", "costBillions": 203, "unitCostLabel": "$0.8B per unit", "manufacturer": "Northrop Grumman" }, { "name": "B-2 Spirit", "slug": "b-2", "category": "Bomber", "service": "Air Force", "contractor": "Northrop Grumman", "unitCost": 2100, "totalCost": 44750, "costOverrun": 200, "units": 21, "delivered": 21, "description": "Stealth strategic heavy bomber. At $2.1B each, the most expensive aircraft ever built.", "status": "Active (Retiring)", "startYear": 1979, "iocYear": 1997, "notes": "Originally planned 132 aircraft, cut to 21 after Cold War ended. Cost per flight hour: ~$130,000.", "costBillions": 44.8, "costOverrunLabel": "200% over budget", "unitCostLabel": "$2.1B per unit", "manufacturer": "Northrop Grumman" }, { "name": "V-22 Osprey", "slug": "v-22", "category": "Tiltrotor", "service": "Marines/Air Force", "contractor": "Boeing/Bell", "unitCost": 72, "totalCost": 56100, "costOverrun": 200, "units": 458, "delivered": 400, "description": "Tiltrotor military aircraft combining vertical takeoff with airplane speed.", "status": "Grounded (2024)", "startYear": 1981, "iocYear": 2007, "notes": "Entire fleet grounded in 2024 after fatal crashes. 46 deaths in crashes since testing began. 26 years from concept to IOC.", "costBillions": 56.1, "costOverrunLabel": "200% over budget", "unitCostLabel": "$72M per unit", "manufacturer": "Boeing/Bell" }, { "name": "KC-46 Pegasus", "slug": "kc-46", "category": "Tanker", "service": "Air Force", "contractor": "Boeing", "unitCost": 178, "totalCost": 44400, "costOverrun": 27, "units": 179, "delivered": 79, "description": "Aerial refueling and strategic military transport aircraft.", "status": "In Production", "startYear": 2011, "iocYear": 2019, "notes": "Plagued by Remote Vision System deficiencies. Boeing absorbed $7B+ in cost overruns.", "costBillions": 44.4, "costOverrunLabel": "27% over budget", "unitCostLabel": "$0.2B per unit", "manufacturer": "Boeing" }, { "name": "MQ-9 Reaper", "slug": "mq-9", "category": "Drone", "service": "Air Force", "contractor": "General Atomics", "unitCost": 32, "totalCost": 14000, "costOverrun": null, "units": 360, "delivered": 360, "description": "Unmanned aerial vehicle used for surveillance and precision strikes.", "status": "Active", "startYear": 2001, "iocYear": 2007, "notes": "Workhorse of the drone war. Has conducted thousands of strikes in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Iraq, Syria, Libya.", "costBillions": 14, "unitCostLabel": "$32M per unit", "manufacturer": "General Atomics" }, { "name": "MQ-4C Triton", "slug": "mq-4c", "category": "Drone", "service": "Navy", "contractor": "Northrop Grumman", "unitCost": 176, "totalCost": 14700, "costOverrun": 52, "units": 68, "delivered": 4, "description": "High-altitude, long-endurance unmanned maritime surveillance aircraft.", "status": "Low-Rate Production", "startYear": 2008, "iocYear": 2024, "notes": "Based on Global Hawk design. Provides persistent maritime ISR.", "costBillions": 14.7, "costOverrunLabel": "52% over budget", "unitCostLabel": "$0.2B per unit", "manufacturer": "Northrop Grumman" }, { "name": "Gerald R. Ford Class Carrier", "slug": "ford-class", "category": "Aircraft Carrier", "service": "Navy", "contractor": "Huntington Ingalls", "unitCost": 13300, "totalCost": 120000, "costOverrun": 27, "units": 4, "delivered": 1, "description": "Next-generation nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Most expensive warship ever built.", "status": "In Production", "startYear": 2005, "iocYear": 2017, "notes": "USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) commissioned 2017. EMALS catapult system had major problems. Each carrier deploys with ~70 aircraft and 4,500 crew.", "costBillions": 120, "costOverrunLabel": "27% over budget", "unitCostLabel": "$13.3B per unit", "manufacturer": "Huntington Ingalls" }, { "name": "Virginia Class Submarine", "slug": "virginia-class", "category": "Submarine", "service": "Navy", "contractor": "General Dynamics/HII", "unitCost": 3450, "totalCost": 114000, "costOverrun": 12, "units": 66, "delivered": 23, "description": "Nuclear-powered fast attack submarine designed for a broad range of missions.", "status": "In Production", "startYear": 1998, "iocYear": 2004, "notes": "Block V adds Virginia Payload Module for 28 additional Tomahawk missiles. Critical for AUKUS submarine deal.", "costBillions": 114, "costOverrunLabel": "12% over budget", "unitCostLabel": "$3.5B per unit", "manufacturer": "General Dynamics/HII" }, { "name": "Columbia Class Submarine", "slug": "columbia-class", "category": "Submarine", "service": "Navy", "contractor": "General Dynamics", "unitCost": 15200, "totalCost": 132000, "costOverrun": 10, "units": 12, "delivered": 0, "description": "Nuclear ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) to replace the Ohio class. Navy's #1 acquisition priority.", "status": "Development", "startYear": 2017, "iocYear": 2031, "notes": "Each carries 16 Trident II D5LE missiles with nuclear warheads. $132B lifecycle cost. Critical to nuclear triad.", "costBillions": 132, "costOverrunLabel": "10% over budget", "unitCostLabel": "$15.2B per unit", "manufacturer": "General Dynamics" }, { "name": "Littoral Combat Ship", "slug": "lcs", "category": "Surface Ship", "service": "Navy", "contractor": "Lockheed Martin/Austal", "unitCost": 478, "totalCost": 30000, "costOverrun": 125, "units": 35, "delivered": 31, "description": "Small surface combatant intended for near-shore operations. Widely considered a failed program.", "status": "Active (Decommissioning)", "startYear": 2002, "iocYear": 2008, "notes": "Navy began early retirement of LCS ships as young as 4 years old. Anti-submarine module never worked. Called \"Little Crappy Ship\" by critics.", "costBillions": 30, "costOverrunLabel": "125% over budget", "unitCostLabel": "$0.5B per unit", "manufacturer": "Lockheed Martin/Austal" }, { "name": "DDG-51 Flight III (Arleigh Burke)", "slug": "ddg-51", "category": "Destroyer", "service": "Navy", "contractor": "HII/General Dynamics", "unitCost": 2200, "totalCost": 85000, "costOverrun": 15, "units": 89, "delivered": 73, "description": "Guided-missile destroyer with advanced Aegis combat system. Backbone of the Navy surface fleet.", "status": "In Production", "startYear": 1985, "iocYear": 1991, "notes": "Flight III adds AN/SPY-6(V)1 radar. Program spans 40+ years of continuous production.", "costBillions": 85, "costOverrunLabel": "15% over budget", "unitCostLabel": "$2.2B per unit", "manufacturer": "HII/General Dynamics" }, { "name": "Constellation Class Frigate", "slug": "constellation-class", "category": "Frigate", "service": "Navy", "contractor": "Fincantieri", "unitCost": 1230, "totalCost": 24500, "costOverrun": 58, "units": 20, "delivered": 0, "description": "Next-generation guided-missile frigate based on Italian FREMM design.", "status": "Development", "startYear": 2020, "iocYear": 2029, "notes": "Already 3+ years behind schedule with significant design changes. First hull not yet laid. GAO flagged major risks.", "costBillions": 24.5, "costOverrunLabel": "58% over budget", "unitCostLabel": "$1.2B per unit", "manufacturer": "Fincantieri" }, { "name": "M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams", "slug": "m1-abrams", "category": "Main Battle Tank", "service": "Army", "contractor": "General Dynamics", "unitCost": 10, "totalCost": 50000, "costOverrun": null, "units": 3500, "delivered": 3500, "description": "Third-generation main battle tank. In service since 1980 with continuous upgrades.", "status": "Active/Upgrading", "startYear": 1972, "iocYear": 1980, "notes": "SEPv3 upgrade adds Trophy active protection system. Deployed to Europe after Ukraine invasion. 70 tons.", "costBillions": 50, "unitCostLabel": "$10M per unit", "manufacturer": "General Dynamics" }, { "name": "FARA (Future Attack Reconnaissance)", "slug": "fara", "category": "Helicopter", "service": "Army", "contractor": "Bell", "unitCost": null, "totalCost": 30000, "costOverrun": null, "units": 0, "delivered": 0, "description": "Next-generation armed reconnaissance helicopter. CANCELLED in 2024.", "status": "Cancelled", "startYear": 2019, "iocYear": null, "notes": "Army cancelled February 2024 after spending $2.2B. Redirecting funds to drones. Follows cancellation of Comanche ($7B wasted) and ARH-70 ($450M wasted).", "costBillions": 30, "manufacturer": "Bell" }, { "name": "RAH-66 Comanche", "slug": "rah-66", "category": "Helicopter", "service": "Army", "contractor": "Boeing/Sikorsky", "unitCost": null, "totalCost": 7000, "costOverrun": null, "units": 0, "delivered": 0, "description": "Stealth armed reconnaissance helicopter. CANCELLED in 2004 after $7B spent.", "status": "Cancelled", "startYear": 1983, "iocYear": null, "notes": "21 years of development with nothing to show. Only 2 prototypes built. Poster child for Pentagon waste.", "costBillions": 7, "manufacturer": "Boeing/Sikorsky" }, { "name": "Ground Based Midcourse Defense", "slug": "gmd", "category": "Missile Defense", "service": "MDA", "contractor": "Boeing", "unitCost": null, "totalCost": 67000, "costOverrun": null, "units": 44, "delivered": 44, "description": "Ground-based missile defense system designed to intercept ICBMs. Questionable effectiveness.", "status": "Active", "startYear": 1997, "iocYear": 2004, "notes": "Only successful in 50% of controlled tests. $67B spent on system physicists say cannot reliably work. Based in Alaska and California.", "costBillions": 67, "manufacturer": "Boeing" }, { "name": "THAAD", "slug": "thaad", "category": "Missile Defense", "service": "Army/MDA", "contractor": "Lockheed Martin", "unitCost": null, "totalCost": 24000, "costOverrun": null, "units": 7, "delivered": 7, "description": "Terminal High Altitude Area Defense. Designed to shoot down short and medium-range ballistic missiles.", "status": "Active", "startYear": 1992, "iocYear": 2008, "notes": "Deployed to South Korea, Guam, UAE, Israel. Each battery costs ~$1B. 7 batteries operational.", "costBillions": 24, "manufacturer": "Lockheed Martin" }, { "name": "Sentinel (GBSD)", "slug": "sentinel-gbsd", "category": "ICBM", "service": "Air Force", "contractor": "Northrop Grumman", "unitCost": null, "totalCost": 141000, "costOverrun": 81, "units": 400, "delivered": 0, "description": "Next-generation ICBM to replace Minuteman III. 81% over original budget.", "status": "Development", "startYear": 2020, "iocYear": 2030, "notes": "Nunn-McCurdy breach triggered in 2024. Cost grew from $77.7B to $140.9B. Critics argue land-based ICBMs are obsolete in the submarine age.", "costBillions": 141, "costOverrunLabel": "81% over budget", "manufacturer": "Northrop Grumman" }, { "name": "Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM)", "slug": "lrasm", "category": "Cruise Missile", "service": "Navy/Air Force", "contractor": "Lockheed Martin", "unitCost": 3.5, "totalCost": 5000, "costOverrun": null, "units": null, "delivered": null, "description": "Stealthy anti-ship cruise missile designed for contested environments.", "status": "In Production", "startYear": 2009, "iocYear": 2018, "notes": "Critical capability for Pacific theater. Can be launched from B-1B, F/A-18, and surface ships.", "costBillions": 5, "unitCostLabel": "$3.5M per unit", "manufacturer": "Lockheed Martin" }, { "name": "Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS)", "slug": "sbirs", "category": "Space", "service": "Space Force", "contractor": "Lockheed Martin", "unitCost": null, "totalCost": 19200, "costOverrun": 300, "units": 6, "delivered": 6, "description": "Missile warning satellite constellation. Massively over budget.", "status": "Active", "startYear": 1996, "iocYear": 2013, "notes": "Original estimate $4.2B, final cost $19.2B. 17 years late. Being replaced by Next-Gen OPIR.", "costBillions": 19.2, "costOverrunLabel": "300% over budget", "manufacturer": "Lockheed Martin" }, { "name": "GPS III", "slug": "gps-iii", "category": "Space", "service": "Space Force", "contractor": "Lockheed Martin", "unitCost": 529, "totalCost": 5800, "costOverrun": 20, "units": 10, "delivered": 6, "description": "Next-generation GPS satellites with improved accuracy and anti-jamming.", "status": "In Production", "startYear": 2008, "iocYear": 2020, "notes": "3x more accuracy, 8x better anti-jam capability than GPS IIF.", "costBillions": 5.8, "costOverrunLabel": "20% over budget", "unitCostLabel": "$0.5B per unit", "manufacturer": "Lockheed Martin" }, { "name": "B61-12 Nuclear Bomb", "slug": "b61-12", "category": "Nuclear Weapon", "service": "NNSA/DOE", "contractor": "Various", "unitCost": 28, "totalCost": 14800, "costOverrun": 50, "units": 480, "delivered": 200, "description": "Life-extended gravity nuclear bomb with new guided tail kit.", "status": "In Production", "startYear": 2012, "iocYear": 2022, "notes": "Most expensive nuclear weapon refurbishment in history. Deployed to Europe and available for F-35, B-2, B-21.", "costBillions": 14.8, "costOverrunLabel": "50% over budget", "unitCostLabel": "$28M per unit", "manufacturer": "Various" }, { "name": "W93 / Mk7 Warhead", "slug": "w93", "category": "Nuclear Weapon", "service": "NNSA/Navy", "contractor": "Various", "unitCost": null, "totalCost": 15000, "costOverrun": null, "units": null, "delivered": 0, "description": "New nuclear warhead for Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missiles.", "status": "Development", "startYear": 2020, "iocYear": 2034, "notes": "First entirely new US nuclear warhead design since the 1980s. Estimated $14.8B through production.", "costBillions": 15, "manufacturer": "Various" }, { "name": "F/A-18 Super Hornet", "slug": "fa-18-super-hornet", "category": "Fighter Aircraft", "manufacturer": "Boeing", "unitCost": 67, "totalCost": 40000, "units": 608, "inService": true, "description": "Navy/Marine carrier-based multirole fighter. Backbone of carrier air wings since 1999. Being replaced by F-35C but remains in active service.", "costOverrun": 8, "keyFact": "Each Super Hornet costs $67M — cheaper than F-35 but less stealthy.", "contractor": "Boeing" }, { "name": "F-16 Fighting Falcon", "slug": "f-16-fighting-falcon", "category": "Fighter Aircraft", "manufacturer": "Lockheed Martin", "unitCost": 34, "totalCost": 34000, "units": 1000, "inService": true, "description": "Most produced Western fighter jet in history (4,600+ built). First flew in 1978. Still in production as F-16V/Block 70/72 for export. The \"workhorse\" of the US Air Force.", "costOverrun": 5, "keyFact": "Over 25 countries fly the F-16. At $34M each, it's the \"affordable\" fighter.", "contractor": "Lockheed Martin" }, { "name": "F-15 Eagle / Strike Eagle", "slug": "f-15-eagle", "category": "Fighter Aircraft", "manufacturer": "Boeing", "unitCost": 88, "totalCost": 45000, "units": 483, "inService": true, "description": "Air superiority fighter with a 104-0 combat record (zero air-to-air losses). F-15E Strike Eagle variant carries 23,000 lbs of ordnance. New F-15EX costs $88M.", "costOverrun": 10, "keyFact": "104 kills, zero losses in air-to-air combat — the most dominant fighter ever built.", "contractor": "Boeing" }, { "name": "A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog)", "slug": "a-10-warthog", "category": "Attack Aircraft", "manufacturer": "Fairchild Republic", "unitCost": 19, "totalCost": 6500, "units": 281, "inService": true, "description": "Close air support aircraft built around the massive GAU-8 Avenger 30mm rotary cannon. Beloved by ground troops, repeatedly saved from retirement by Congress despite Air Force opposition. \"The plane the military doesn't want but soldiers need.\"", "costOverrun": 0, "keyFact": "The Air Force has tried to retire the A-10 seven times. Congress keeps saving it because ground troops love it.", "contractor": "Fairchild Republic" }, { "name": "B-1B Lancer", "slug": "b-1b-lancer", "category": "Bomber", "manufacturer": "Rockwell/Boeing", "unitCost": 283, "totalCost": 28000, "units": 100, "inService": true, "description": "Supersonic strategic bomber capable of Mach 1.25. Can carry 75,000 lbs of ordnance — more than any other US aircraft. Being retired as B-21 enters service.", "costOverrun": 50, "keyFact": "Carries more bombs than any other US aircraft — 75,000 lbs. Three times the B-52's internal payload.", "contractor": "Rockwell/Boeing" }, { "name": "B-52 Stratofortress", "slug": "b-52-stratofortress", "category": "Bomber", "manufacturer": "Boeing", "unitCost": 84, "totalCost": 30000, "units": 76, "inService": true, "description": "First flew in 1952, expected to serve until 2050s — nearly 100 years. \"BUFF\" (Big Ugly Fat Fellow). Has been in every US conflict since Vietnam. Getting new engines (Rolls-Royce F130) to extend life further.", "costOverrun": 0, "keyFact": "Will serve 100 years — your grandfather's bomber is still dropping bombs today.", "contractor": "Boeing" }, { "name": "E-2D Hawkeye", "slug": "e-2d-hawkeye", "category": "Early Warning", "manufacturer": "Northrop Grumman", "unitCost": 176, "totalCost": 15000, "units": 75, "inService": true, "description": "Carrier-based airborne early warning aircraft. The \"eyes of the fleet\" — detects threats 300+ miles away. Critical for carrier battle group defense.", "costOverrun": 15, "keyFact": "The \"eyes of the fleet\" — can track 2,000 targets simultaneously at 300+ mile range.", "contractor": "Northrop Grumman" }, { "name": "RQ-170 Sentinel", "slug": "rq-170-sentinel", "category": "Drone", "manufacturer": "Lockheed Martin", "unitCost": null, "totalCost": null, "units": null, "inService": true, "description": "Classified stealth surveillance drone. The \"Beast of Kandahar.\" Was monitoring Osama bin Laden's compound before the SEAL raid. Iran captured one in 2011 and reverse-engineered it.", "costOverrun": null, "keyFact": "So secret the Pentagon won't confirm its existence. Iran captured one in 2011 and claims to have copied it.", "contractor": "Lockheed Martin", "costNote": "Classified program", "type": "Drone" }, { "name": "Arleigh Burke-class Destroyer", "slug": "arleigh-burke-destroyer", "category": "Destroyer", "manufacturer": "General Dynamics/HII", "unitCost": 2200, "totalCost": 165000, "units": 73, "inService": true, "description": "Most numerous surface combatant in the US Navy. Equipped with Aegis combat system and 96 vertical launch cells for Tomahawk missiles and SM-3 interceptors. The \"backbone of the fleet.\"", "costOverrun": 30, "keyFact": "Each destroyer carries 96 missiles that can hit targets 1,000 miles away. The US has 73 of them.", "contractor": "General Dynamics/HII" }, { "name": "Ticonderoga-class Cruiser", "slug": "ticonderoga-cruiser", "category": "Cruiser", "manufacturer": "HII", "unitCost": 1800, "totalCost": 48000, "units": 22, "inService": true, "description": "Aegis guided-missile cruiser with 122 vertical launch cells. Primary air defense escort for carrier battle groups. Being decommissioned without replacement — a concerning capability gap.", "costOverrun": 20, "keyFact": "Being retired with no replacement. The Navy is losing its most capable air defense ships.", "contractor": "HII" }, { "name": "San Antonio-class LPD", "slug": "san-antonio-lpd", "category": "Amphibious", "manufacturer": "HII", "unitCost": 1800, "totalCost": 30000, "units": 15, "inService": true, "description": "Amphibious transport dock that carries 800 Marines and their equipment. Enables power projection from sea to shore. Program plagued by quality control issues.", "costOverrun": 60, "keyFact": "Cost 60% more than planned. Quality control was so bad that the Navy returned the first ship to the shipyard.", "contractor": "HII" }, { "name": "America-class LHA", "slug": "america-class-lha", "category": "Amphibious", "manufacturer": "HII", "unitCost": 4000, "totalCost": 20000, "units": 4, "inService": true, "description": "Amphibious assault ship that looks like a small aircraft carrier. Operates F-35B stealth fighters. At 45,000 tons, it's larger than most countries' aircraft carriers.", "costOverrun": 25, "keyFact": "At 45,000 tons with F-35Bs, it's more capable than most countries' aircraft carriers — and the US has 11 actual carriers too.", "contractor": "HII" }, { "name": "Ohio-class SSBN", "slug": "ohio-class-ssbn", "category": "Nuclear Submarine", "manufacturer": "General Dynamics", "unitCost": 2000, "totalCost": 36000, "units": 14, "inService": true, "description": "Ballistic missile submarine carrying 20 Trident II D5 missiles, each with up to 8 nuclear warheads. A single Ohio-class submarine can destroy an entire country. The ultimate deterrent.", "costOverrun": 10, "keyFact": "A single Ohio-class submarine carries enough nuclear weapons to end civilization. The US has 14 of them.", "contractor": "General Dynamics" }, { "name": "Tomahawk Cruise Missile", "slug": "tomahawk-cruise-missile", "category": "Cruise Missile", "manufacturer": "RTX (Raytheon)", "unitCost": 2, "totalCost": 20000, "units": 4000, "inService": true, "description": "The iconic land-attack cruise missile. Range: 1,000+ miles. GPS-guided. Can be launched from ships and submarines. Used in every US conflict since 1991. Each one costs $2 million.", "costOverrun": 0, "keyFact": "At $2M each, every Tomahawk fired costs more than the average American home. The US has fired 2,000+ in combat.", "contractor": "RTX (Raytheon)" }, { "name": "JASSM / JASSM-ER", "slug": "jassm", "category": "Cruise Missile", "manufacturer": "Lockheed Martin", "unitCost": 1.4, "totalCost": 15000, "units": 5000, "inService": true, "description": "Air-launched stealth cruise missile with 575+ mile range. The primary standoff weapon for Air Force bombers and fighters. JASSM-ER extended range version has 600+ mile reach.", "costOverrun": 10, "keyFact": "Stealthy enough to penetrate modern air defenses. Being mass-produced for a potential Taiwan scenario.", "contractor": "Lockheed Martin" }, { "name": "HIMARS", "slug": "himars", "category": "Rocket Artillery", "manufacturer": "Lockheed Martin", "unitCost": 5.1, "totalCost": 10000, "units": 500, "inService": true, "description": "High Mobility Artillery Rocket System. Each launch unit costs $5.1M. Fires GPS-guided rockets to 190 miles. Game-changer in Ukraine — destroyed Russian command posts and ammo depots. Now every US ally wants one.", "costOverrun": 5, "keyFact": "Ukraine used HIMARS to destroy 400+ Russian targets. Now every US ally is buying them — 18 countries and counting.", "contractor": "Lockheed Martin" }, { "name": "Patriot PAC-3", "slug": "patriot-pac-3", "category": "Air Defense", "manufacturer": "RTX (Raytheon)", "unitCost": 4, "totalCost": 30000, "units": 1100, "inService": true, "description": "Premier US air defense missile system. Each interceptor costs $4M. A full battery costs $1B+. Successfully shot down ballistic missiles in Ukraine and Saudi Arabia. Limitation: each $4M interceptor might be used against a $50K drone.", "costOverrun": 20, "keyFact": "A $4M Patriot missile shooting down a $50K drone is a 80:1 cost asymmetry that's bankrupting air defense.", "contractor": "RTX (Raytheon)" }, { "name": "SM-3 / SM-6", "slug": "sm-3-sm-6", "category": "Naval Missile Defense", "manufacturer": "RTX (Raytheon)", "unitCost": 28, "totalCost": 20000, "units": 500, "inService": true, "description": "Ship-launched ballistic missile interceptors. SM-3 Block IIA can intercept ICBMs in space. SM-6 is a multi-mission missile for air defense, anti-ship, and BMD. At $28M per SM-3 Block IIA, it's the most expensive interceptor in the US arsenal.", "costOverrun": 30, "keyFact": "SM-3 can hit a satellite in orbit — the US demonstrated this in 2008 by shooting down a failing spy satellite at 150 miles altitude.", "contractor": "RTX (Raytheon)" }, { "name": "M1A2 Abrams SEPv3", "slug": "m1a2-abrams", "category": "Main Battle Tank", "manufacturer": "General Dynamics", "unitCost": 10, "totalCost": 24000, "units": 2500, "inService": true, "description": "America's main battle tank since 1980. The SEPv3 variant includes improved armor, electronics, and Trophy active protection system. 70 tons. Gas-turbine engine burns 300 gallons/day.", "costOverrun": 15, "keyFact": "Burns 300 gallons of fuel per day whether moving or not. A single Abrams costs $10M and costs $500/hour to operate.", "contractor": "General Dynamics" }, { "name": "Stryker ICV", "slug": "stryker-icv", "category": "Infantry Vehicle", "manufacturer": "General Dynamics", "unitCost": 5.5, "totalCost": 16000, "units": 4400, "inService": true, "description": "8-wheeled armored vehicle carrying 9 infantry. Core of Stryker Brigade Combat Teams. Faster and lighter than tracked vehicles but criticized for thin armor. Variants include mortar carrier, recon, nuclear/bio detection.", "costOverrun": 20, "keyFact": "Can be airlifted by C-130 — designed for rapid deployment. But infantry joke it's an \"armored coffin\" against IEDs.", "contractor": "General Dynamics" }, { "name": "Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV)", "slug": "jltv", "category": "Tactical Vehicle", "manufacturer": "Oshkosh", "unitCost": 0.4, "totalCost": 17000, "units": 49000, "inService": true, "description": "Humvee replacement with V-shaped hull for IED protection. Costs $400K each vs $70K for a Humvee. Program to buy 49,099 vehicles. Already being replaced by more advanced concepts after just entering service.", "costOverrun": 25, "keyFact": "Costs 6x what a Humvee cost. And the Army is already talking about replacing it.", "contractor": "Oshkosh" }, { "name": "X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle", "slug": "x-37b", "category": "Space", "manufacturer": "Boeing", "unitCost": null, "totalCost": null, "units": 2, "inService": true, "description": "Classified unmanned space plane that has spent years orbiting Earth on secret missions. Largest mission: 908 days in orbit. Operated by US Space Force. Nobody outside the Pentagon knows what it does.", "costOverrun": null, "keyFact": "Has spent over 3,774 cumulative days in orbit on classified missions. No one outside the Pentagon knows what it actually does.", "contractor": "Boeing", "costNote": "Classified program", "type": "Space" }, { "name": "Next Generation Interceptor (NGI)", "slug": "ngi", "category": "Missile Defense", "manufacturer": "Northrop Grumman", "unitCost": null, "totalCost": 18000, "units": 20, "inService": false, "description": "Replacement for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system. Designed to intercept ICBMs from North Korea or Iran. Previous GMD interceptors had a 55% test success rate — a coin flip against nuclear annihilation.", "costOverrun": null, "keyFact": "The current ICBM interceptors succeed only 55% of the time in tests. Against a real nuclear attack, you get one chance.", "contractor": "Northrop Grumman" } ]