These Are the Most Expensive Planes made for the US Navy

The USA DoD defense budget for 2024 is an astonishing $842 billion, making the United States the leading country in defense spending. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s latest report confirms that the U.S. spends more on defense than the other top nine military spending nations combined. 

Within the U.S. Navy, the air force is particularly expensive, and it constitutes one of the most expensive aspects of the defense budget. CEOWORLD magazine has identified the top fifteen most expensive planes in the U.S. Navy Air, excluding drones and unmanned aerial vehicle systems, using information on aircraft unit prices released by the Department of Defense.

Most Expensive Planes made for the U.S. Navy:

1. E-6B Mercury Airborne Command Post
   Est. Unit Cost in 2022: $153.9 million
   US Navy Inventory: 16
   Primary Function: Communications relay for fleet ballistic missile submarines (A and B models) and airborne command post for U.S. Strategic forces (B model)
   Primary Contractor(s): The Boeing Company

2. F-35C Lightning II
   Est. Unit Cost in 2022: $102.6 million
   US Navy Inventory: 26
   Primary Function: Multirole: ground attack, air superiority
   Primary Contractor(s): Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and BAE Systems

3. C-130 Hercules Military Transport Aircraft
   Est. Unit Cost in 2022: $89.4 million
   US Navy Inventory: 28
   Primary Function: Aerial refueling, tactical passenger and cargo airlift
   Primary Contractor(s): Lockheed Martin

4. E-2 Hawkeye Airborne Command and Control Aircraft
   Est. Unit Cost in 2022: $86.9 million
   US Navy Inventory: 97
   Primary Function: Airborne Command and Control, Battle Space Management
   Primary Contractor(s): Northrop Grumman

5. F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
   Est. Unit Cost in 2022: $76.4 million
   US Navy Inventory: 566
   Primary Function: Multirole attack and fighter aircraft
   Primary Contractor(s): The Boeing Company

6. C-37A (Gulfstream V) and C/NC-37B (Gulfstream 550)
   Est. Unit Cost in 2022: $73.6 million
   US Navy Inventory: 0
   Primary Function: Passenger transport
   Primary Contractor(s): CLS – Gulfstream

7. UC-35 Citation
   Est. Unit Cost in 2022: $73.4 million
   US Navy Inventory: 0
   Primary Function: Passenger and cargo airlift
   Primary Contractor(s): DynCorps, Valair and Pratt & Whitney

8. EA-18G Growler Airborne Electronic Attack Aircraft
   Est. Unit Cost in 2022: $72.8 million
   US Navy Inventory: 153
   Primary Function: Airborne Electronic Attack
   Primary Contractor(s): The Boeing Company

9. C-2A Greyhound Logistics Aircraft
   Est. Unit Cost in 2022: $43.4 million
   US Navy Inventory: 33
   Primary Function: Carrier On-board Delivery (COD) aircraft
   Primary Contractor(s): Northrop Grumman

10. C-20 Gulfstream Logistics Aircraft
    Est. Unit Cost in 2022: $42.6 million
    US Navy Inventory: 3
    Primary Function: Worldwide passenger and cargo airlift
    Primary Contractor(s): Gulfstream Aerospace and M7 Aerospace

11. F/A-18 A-D Hornet
    Est. Unit Cost in 2022: $32.9 million
    US Navy Inventory: 68
    Primary Function: Multirole attack and fighter aircraft
    Primary Contractor(s): The Boeing Company

12. F-16A/B Fighting Falcon Fighter
    Est. Unit Cost in 2022: $26.7 million
    US Navy Inventory: 14
    Primary Function: Adversary fighter
    Primary Contractor(s): General Dynamics Corp. and Lockheed Martin

13. T-45C Goshawk Training Aircraft
    Est. Unit Cost in 2022: $18.5 million
    US Navy Inventory: 191
    Primary Function: Training platform for Navy/Marine Corps pilots
    Primary Contractor(s): The Boeing Company

14. UC-12 Huron Logistics Aircraft
    Est. Unit Cost in 2022: $6.9 million
    US Navy Inventory: 13
    Primary Function: Light passenger and cargo airlift
    Primary Contractor(s): Raytheon Aircraft Company

15. T-34C Turbo Mentor Training Aircraft
    Est. Unit Cost in 2022: $1.1 million
    US Navy Inventory: 13
    Primary Function: Enhancing pilot proficiency, supporting low-risk missions, and providing aircraft support services for the fleet
    Primary Contractor(s): Raytheon Aircraft Company

These aircraft exemplify the U.S. Navy’s dedication to deploying sophisticated and high-cost assets, showcasing the nation’s commitment to maintaining military superiority in an ever-changing global landscape.

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