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The Pentagon's Arsenal

48 major weapons programs spanning fighters, carriers, missiles, and satellites. Average cost overrun: 55%. The most expensive machine in history — the F-35 — will cost $1.7 trillion over its lifetime. That's more than the GDP of Canada.

48
Major Programs
$3.7T
Total Program Cost
55%
Avg Cost Overrun
78,283
Total Units Planned

💰 Most Expensive Programs

#1
F-35 Lightning IILockheed Martin
$1700B
#2
B-21 RaiderNorthrop Grumman
$203B
#3
Arleigh Burke-class DestroyerGeneral Dynamics/HII
—
#4
Sentinel (GBSD)Northrop Grumman
$141B
#5
Columbia Class SubmarineGeneral Dynamics
$132B

📈 Biggest Cost Overruns

#1Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS)+300%
#2B-2 Spirit+200%
#3V-22 Osprey+200%
#4F-35 Lightning II+183%
#5Littoral Combat Ship+125%

🗑️ Cancelled Programs — $37B Wasted

Programs killed after billions were spent. The money is gone. Nothing was delivered.

FARA (Future Attack Reconnaissance)
Bell · Helicopter
$30B spent
RAH-66 Comanche
Boeing/Sikorsky · Helicopter
$7B spent

By Category

✈️

Aircraft

18 programs · $2.4T
F-35 Lightning II$1700BB-21 Raider$203BF-22 Raptor$67.3BV-22 Osprey$56.1BF-15 Eagle / Strike Eagle—
+13 more
🚢

Naval

11 programs · $804.5B
Arleigh Burke-class Destroyer—Columbia Class Submarine$132BGerald R. Ford Class Carrier$120BVirginia Class Submarine$114BDDG-51 Flight III (Arleigh Burke)$85B
+6 more
🚀

Missiles & Defense

10 programs · $350B
Sentinel (GBSD)$141BGround Based Midcourse Defense$67BPatriot PAC-3—THAAD$24BTomahawk Cruise Missile—
+5 more
🛡️

Ground Systems

4 programs · $107B
M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams$50BM1A2 Abrams SEPv3—Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV)—Stryker ICV—
🛰️

Strategic & Space

5 programs · $54.8B
Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS)$19.2BW93 / Mk7 Warhead$15BB61-12 Nuclear Bomb$14.8BGPS III$5.8BX-37B Orbital Test VehicleClassified program

Original Budget vs Actual Cost (Top Programs)

Pentagon weapons programs routinely exceed original estimates by 50-600%.

Source: GAO Selected Acquisition Reports, CBO, DOD budget documents

Cost Overrun Percentage

All 48 Programs

#1
F-35 Lightning II
Fighter Aircraft · Lockheed Martin · In Production
$1700B
+183% overrun
#2
B-21 Raider
Bomber · Northrop Grumman · Development
$203B
#3
Arleigh Burke-class Destroyer
Destroyer · General Dynamics/HII ·
—
+30% overrun
#4
Sentinel (GBSD)
ICBM · Northrop Grumman · Development
$141B
+81% overrun
#5
Columbia Class Submarine
Submarine · General Dynamics · Development
$132B
+10% overrun
#6
Gerald R. Ford Class Carrier
Aircraft Carrier · Huntington Ingalls · In Production
$120B
+27% overrun
#7
Virginia Class Submarine
Submarine · General Dynamics/HII · In Production
$114B
+12% overrun
#8
DDG-51 Flight III (Arleigh Burke)
Destroyer · HII/General Dynamics · In Production
$85B
+15% overrun
#9
F-22 Raptor
Fighter Aircraft · Lockheed Martin · Active
$67.3B
+89% overrun
#10
Ground Based Midcourse Defense
Missile Defense · Boeing · Active
$67B
#11
V-22 Osprey
Tiltrotor · Boeing/Bell · Grounded (2024)
$56.1B
+200% overrun
#12
M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams
Main Battle Tank · General Dynamics · Active/Upgrading
$50B
#13
Ticonderoga-class Cruiser
Cruiser · HII ·
—
+20% overrun
#14
F-15 Eagle / Strike Eagle
Fighter Aircraft · Boeing ·
—
+10% overrun
#15
B-2 Spirit
Bomber · Northrop Grumman · Active (Retiring)
$44.8B
+200% overrun
#16
KC-46 Pegasus
Tanker · Boeing · In Production
$44.4B
+27% overrun
#17
F/A-18 Super Hornet
Fighter Aircraft · Boeing ·
—
+8% overrun
#18
Ohio-class SSBN
Nuclear Submarine · General Dynamics ·
—
+10% overrun
#19
F-16 Fighting Falcon
Fighter Aircraft · Lockheed Martin ·
—
+5% overrun
#20
Littoral Combat Ship
Surface Ship · Lockheed Martin/Austal · Active (Decommissioning)
$30B
+125% overrun
#21
FARA (Future Attack Reconnaissance)
Helicopter · Bell · Cancelled
$30B
#22
B-52 Stratofortress
Bomber · Boeing ·
—
0
#23
San Antonio-class LPD
Amphibious · HII ·
—
+60% overrun
#24
Patriot PAC-3
Air Defense · RTX (Raytheon) ·
—
+20% overrun
#25
B-1B Lancer
Bomber · Rockwell/Boeing ·
—
+50% overrun
#26
Constellation Class Frigate
Frigate · Fincantieri · Development
$24.5B
+58% overrun
#27
THAAD
Missile Defense · Lockheed Martin · Active
$24B
#28
M1A2 Abrams SEPv3
Main Battle Tank · General Dynamics ·
—
+15% overrun
#29
America-class LHA
Amphibious · HII ·
—
+25% overrun
#30
Tomahawk Cruise Missile
Cruise Missile · RTX (Raytheon) ·
—
0
#31
SM-3 / SM-6
Naval Missile Defense · RTX (Raytheon) ·
—
+30% overrun
#32
Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS)
Space · Lockheed Martin · Active
$19.2B
+300% overrun
#33
Next Generation Interceptor (NGI)
Missile Defense · Northrop Grumman ·
—
#34
Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV)
Tactical Vehicle · Oshkosh ·
—
+25% overrun
#35
Stryker ICV
Infantry Vehicle · General Dynamics ·
—
+20% overrun
#36
W93 / Mk7 Warhead
Nuclear Weapon · Various · Development
$15B
#37
E-2D Hawkeye
Early Warning · Northrop Grumman ·
—
+15% overrun
#38
JASSM / JASSM-ER
Cruise Missile · Lockheed Martin ·
—
+10% overrun
#39
B61-12 Nuclear Bomb
Nuclear Weapon · Various · In Production
$14.8B
+50% overrun
#40
MQ-4C Triton
Drone · Northrop Grumman · Low-Rate Production
$14.7B
+52% overrun
#41
MQ-9 Reaper
Drone · General Atomics · Active
$14B
#42
HIMARS
Rocket Artillery · Lockheed Martin ·
—
+5% overrun
#43
RAH-66 Comanche
Helicopter · Boeing/Sikorsky · Cancelled
$7B
#44
A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog)
Attack Aircraft · Fairchild Republic ·
—
0
#45
GPS III
Space · Lockheed Martin · In Production
$5.8B
+20% overrun
#46
Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM)
Cruise Missile · Lockheed Martin · In Production
$5B
#47
RQ-170 Sentinel
Drone · Lockheed Martin ·
Classified program
#48
X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle
Space · Boeing ·
Classified program

🏭 The Procurement Machine

The Pentagon's weapons acquisition system is designed to spend money, not save it. Programs routinely exceed budgets by 50–200%, take decades longer than planned, and sometimes get cancelled after billions are spent. The military-industrial complex Eisenhower warned about has only grown more powerful.

Military-Industrial Complex →Pentagon Waste →Silicon Valley & Pentagon →Defense Contractors →