Buckle Up: Top 14Expensive Military Rides on the Planet

7. Japan's Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey

Producer: Boeing, Bell Textron Primary Users: U.S. Marines, Air Force, Navy, and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Cost of Program: $35.6 billion* Cost per unit: $72.1 million * FY2015 Following the disastrous Operation Eagle Claw during the 1980 Iranian Hostage Crisis, the U.S. military came to the conclusion that it required a new type of aircraft with a vertical takeoff and high speed that could fly over vast distances. What resulted from numerous years of projects devoted to locating precisely that is the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey.

Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey The scheme nearly collapsed in the middle due to the significant cost increases. Development was a contentious process that took a long time. The cost increased to $30 billion in just two years from the initial $2.5 billion estimate in 1986. The budget increased to around $55 billion by 2008, while the expense of upkeep and support continued to rise. The Osprey is a tiltrotor aircraft with multiple missions. It combines the performance of a turboprop aircraft with the functionality of a helicopter with VTOL and STOL capabilities (particularly for long-range, high-speed cruising). As of 2020, there are 400 ospreys in the world, and since 1988, production has been continuous. The enhanced COD version of the V-22, designated CMV-22B, will be delivered to the Navy in 2021.