The U.S. government spent $6.8 trillion in 2021, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The largest shares of this money went to income security, social security, and health. The fourth-largest component of the budget was national defense, accounting for $754.8 billion in spending, or around 11% of total outlays. While much of this funding goes to compensating active duty personnel, $250 billion funded the development and procurement of weapons systems.
The U.S. has by far the largest military budget in the world, spending billions each year on new planes, submarines, missile systems, and more. Some of these implements are so large, advanced, and complex that it costs hundreds of millions – if not billions – of dollars to make just one. (For example, it costs $9 billion to make the world’s largest warship.)
To determine America’s most expensive weapons, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the U.S. Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Request. Only items that were procured in fiscal year 2021 were considered. Costs were determined to be the total amount spent per single vehicle, weapon, or system procured.
Nearly all of the items on this list are vehicles – planes, nuclear submarines, aircraft carriers, armored vehicles, and more. Many of these vehicles are designed to have both transportational and combat capabilities, all while being armored to protect the troops inside.
Some of the most expensive items in the military’s budget are not on this list simply because they are still in development and do not yet have a final price tag. For instance, the military spent over $2.7 billion in 2021 developing the B-21 Raider, a long-range strike bomber plane. The Department of Defense has requested over $5 billion to continue development and procurement of the planes, though they are not expected to be delivered to bases until “the mid-2020’s” per the budget request.
In the military’s budget request, the costs of any single entry is broken down into two categories: 1. research, development, test, and evaluation; 2. procurement. Scientists are tasked with creating new methods of warfare to give American troops an advantage in any situation. Some of these innovations have uses beyond the battlefield and have since become parts of everyday household items. These are the popular commercial products you never knew were invented by the military.
Click here to see what the US military spends the most money on
Source: Stocktrek Images / Stocktrek Images via Getty Images
21. F-22 Raptor
> Cost per unit: $125.1 million
> Total spent in FY 2021: $1.0 billion
> Quantity procured: 8
> Requested funds for FY 2023: $1.3 billion
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Source: Public Domain / Maj. Carson Petry (1st CAV) via army.mil
20. AMPV Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle
> Cost per unit: $132.1 million
> Total spent in FY 2021: $132.1 million
> Quantity procured: 1
> Requested funds for FY 2023: $380.7 million
24/7 Wall St.
Source: bbevren / iStock via Getty Images
19. F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
> Cost per unit: $132.8 million
> Total spent in FY 2021: $12.7 billion
> Quantity procured: 96
> Requested funds for FY 2023: $11.0 billion
Source: Public Domain / U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Hunter Helis
18. VH-92A Presidential Helicopter
> Cost per unit: $139.5 million
> Total spent in FY 2021: $697.5 million
> Quantity procured: 5
> Requested funds for FY 2023: $100.9 million
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Source: rancho_runner / iStock via Getty Images
17. C-130J Hercules
> Cost per unit: $140.0 million
> Total spent in FY 2021: $2.2 billion
> Quantity procured: 16
> Requested funds for FY 2023: $1.1 billion
Source: Win McNamee / Getty Images
16. V-22 Osprey
> Cost per unit: $142.7 million
> Total spent in FY 2021: $2.1 billion
> Quantity procured: 15
> Requested funds for FY 2023: $615.1 million
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Source: Smith Collection/Gado / Archive Photos via Getty Images
15. F-15 Eagle
> Cost per unit: $167.0 million
> Total spent in FY 2021: $2.0 billion
> Quantity procured: 12
> Requested funds for FY 2023: $3.5 billion
Source: courtesy of Boeing Co.
14. KC-46A Tanker
> Cost per unit: $172.9 million
> Total spent in FY 2021: $2.8 billion
> Quantity procured: 16
> Requested funds for FY 2023: $2.9 billion
Source: Public Domain / U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Molly Hampton
13. CH-53K Heavy Lift Replacement Helicopter
> Cost per unit: $197.3 million
> Total spent in FY 2021: $1.8 billion
> Quantity procured: 9
> Requested funds for FY 2023: $2.3 billion
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Source: Ryan Fletcher / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
12. P-8A Poseidon
> Cost per unit: $197.4 million
> Total spent in FY 2021: $1.8 billion
> Quantity procured: 9
> Requested funds for FY 2023: $241.2 million
Source: Public Domain / United States Navy via Wikimedia Commons
11. E-2D Advanced Hawkeye
> Cost per unit: $235.6 million
> Total spent in FY 2021: $1.2 billion
> Quantity procured: 5
> Requested funds for FY 2023: $1.3 billion
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10. LHA America Class Amphibious Assault Ship
> Cost per unit: $521.8 million
> Total spent in FY 2021: $521.8 million
> Quantity procured: 1
> Requested funds for FY 2023: $1.1 billion
Source: Public Domain / U.S. Air Force/Joe Davila
9. NSSL & RSLP Launch Enterprise
> Cost per unit: $536.5 million
> Total spent in FY 2021: $1.6 billion
> Quantity procured: 3
> Requested funds for FY 2023: $1.6 billion
Source: ByPublic Domain / U.S. Air Force photo by Bobbi Zapka
8. MQ-4C / RQ-4 Triton/Global Hawk/NATO AGS
> Cost per unit: $605.9 million
> Total spent in FY 2021: $605.9 million
> Quantity procured: 1
> Requested funds for FY 2023: $1.0 billion
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Source: Public Domain / USAF via Wikimedia Commons
7. GPS III & Projects Global Positioning System Enterprise
> Cost per unit: $875.5 million
> Total spent in FY 2021: $1.8 billion
> Quantity procured: 2
> Requested funds for FY 2023: $1.8 billion
Source: Public Domain / United States Navy via Wikimedia Commons
6. FFG(X) Constellation Class Guided Missile Frigate
> Cost per unit: $1.1 billion
> Total spent in FY 2021: $1.1 billion
> Quantity procured: 1
> Requested funds for FY 2023: $1.3 billion
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
5. LPD San Antonio Class Amphibious Transport
> Cost per unit: $1.2 billion
> Total spent in FY 2021: $1.2 billion
> Quantity procured: 1
> Requested funds for FY 2023: $1.8 billion
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Source: viper-zero / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
4. DDG 51 Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer
> Cost per unit: $1.9 billion
> Total spent in FY 2021: $3.8 billion
> Quantity procured: 2
> Requested funds for FY 2023: $5.6 billion
Source: usnavy / Flickr
3. CVN 78 Gerald R. Ford Class Nuclear Aircraft Carrier
> Cost per unit: $2.8 billion
> Total spent in FY 2021: $2.8 billion
> Quantity procured: 1
> Requested funds for FY 2023: $3.2 billion
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Source: national_museum_of_the_us_navy / Flickr
2. SSN 774 Virginia Class Submarine
> Cost per unit: $3.6 billion
> Total spent in FY 2021: $7.2 billion
> Quantity procured: 2
> Requested funds for FY 2023: $7.3 billion
Source: Public Domain / United States Navy via Wikimedia Commons
1. SSBN 826 Columbia Class Ballistic Missile Submarine
> Cost per unit: $4.5 billion
> Total spent in FY 2021: $4.5 billion
> Quantity procured: 1
> Requested funds for FY 2023: $6.3 billion
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