This article’s price list includes only the cost of the aircraft itself, without accounting for expenses related to its development, maintenance, and other associated costs. The “ticket price” of a jet may also vary as it is open to negotiations.

With these caveats out of the way, let精东影业 check the Top 10 most expensive fighter jets in 2024!

10. Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70/72: $63 million

The F-16 was created as a light and maneuverable fighter jet that would offer an affordable alternative to the F-15. Its older variants cost roughly $30 million apiece 鈥� cheaper than the vast majority of contemporary fighters 鈥� but the most advanced ones are really quite pricey. 

The Block 70 and 72 configurations are the most up-to-date iteration of this venerable fighter, which was even renamed F-16V to mark the upgrade. The advancements are most likely very similar to the F-21, a jet Lockheed Martin has offered to India. While we may never know the price of the F-21, the cost of a single F-16 Block 70 gives an insight into how much a top-of-the-line jet, based on the venerable F-16 airframe, may cost.

9. Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet: up to $66.9 million

The F/A-18 Super Hornet came in the late 90s, replacing older Hornets of A, B, C, and D variants. Although originally 鈥� and primarily 鈥� a carrier-based aircraft, it has found a fair share of interest from countries that intend to use it only as a ground-based one.

The latest upgrade of the F/A-18, the Block III configuration, features vast improvements to avionics and weapon systems. It brings the Super Hornet in line with the latest 4.5 generation fighter jets but drives the price up as well.

The most expensive variant of this jet is the EA-18G Growler though, a dedicated electronic warfare aircraft with a price tag of up to $125 million. While it can be equipped with both air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions, it is much too specialized to be considered in the same vein as regular fighter jets.

8. Shenyang FC-31: $70 million

The Shenyang FC-31, also known as J-35 or J-31 is a multi-role fighter aircraft developed by the People’s Republic of China. It is primarily designed for military purposes and intended to serve as a fifth-generation combat aircraft. The FC-31 is intended to be used for various missions, including air superiority, ground attack, and reconnaissance. The FC-31 incorporates stealth technology, advanced avionics, and other features commonly associated with fifth-generation jets. 

In 2019, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) turned down the Shenyang FC-31 “Gyrfalcon” in favor of its rival, the Chengdu J-20 “Mighty Dragon.” Despite this setback, the FC-31’s development continued, and there are indications that it could potentially be converted into a carrier-based fighter for the Chinese Navy.

According to U.S. military and industry officials, it is believed that once the J-31 becomes operational, it will likely such as the F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. However, its effectiveness against the latest fighters like the US-made F-22 and F-35 would depend on various factors including the quantity of J-31 aircraft deployed, the skill level of pilots, and the capabilities of its radar systems and other sensors. 

7. Saab JAS 39E/F Gripen: $85 million

The Swedish JAS 39 Gripen, of variants C and D, is notorious for being one of the cheapest new 4 or 4.5 generation fighter jets around. Its cost could go as low as $30 million per piece, a bargain for such an advanced machine. 

Its latest variants, the E and F, changed that. While they are still much cheaper to operate than 5th generation fighter jets, the cost of one such jet has more than doubled. An explanation of that lies in jets鈥� differences: almost everything, except for the airframe, got upgraded. New radar, engine, avionics, improved weapons systems 鈥� very little remained of the old Gripen.

In 2012, the new-generation JAS 39 was expected to cost over $100 million. It is only in the latest years that Saab managed to reduce the price, and with the reduction, the Gripen once again became a sought-after jet on the international market.

6. Chengdu J-20: $110 million

Very little is known about the Chinese 5th-generation jet. Its price tag is, too, mere speculation. Nevertheless, the J-20 is not for sale though, as China never intended to export its top weapon.  

A recently unveiled J-20 prototype bearing the serial number 2052 at the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation in China on June 29, 2023. Notably, it is now equipped with two WS-15 turbofan engines. Looking ahead, there is a high likelihood of continued advancements and refinements to the WS-15, with potential variations intended to propel the People’s Liberation Army’s sixth-generation fighter program.

5. Dassault Rafale: around $115 million

There are varying reports about the price of the Rafale, ranging between $100 and $120 million per piece in the most basic configuration. The French Air Force definitely bought the fighter for much less. In comparison, the deal reached by the Indian Air Force 鈥� reportedly, full of minute, but pricey enhancements 鈥� was more expensive, and is often criticized for that.

Being one of the most advanced aircraft of its generation and manufactured in one of the most expensive regions of the world, the Rafale is not cheap. 

4. Boeing F-15EX: $117 million

The F-15 itself was not supposed to be cheap, and its latest variant, the F-15EX, demonstrates that. It is supposed to replace older C and D models while being more affordable than the most advanced 5th-generation jets. That affordability comes mostly from operational costs. 

Its operating cost is 鈥渙nly鈥� $29,000 per hour. This cost represents one-third of the total operating cost of the F-35. That, as well as its similarity to previous models of the F-15, makes the F-15EX an attractive aircraft for many countries. 

3. Eurofighter Typhoon: around $124 million

Another European fighter jet, the Eurofighter Typhoon may cost as cheap as $50 million for countries within the European Union that participated in its development, but the export price is much higher. In 2018, Airbus reportedly offered Eurofighters to India for as much as 鈧�138 million per piece, which is still cheaper than what was paid for Rafales. 

2. Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor: $143 million

Praised as one of the best fighter jets in the world, the F-22 Raptor holds a prominent position. Developed by Lockheed Martin for the United States Air Force, this fifth-generation, single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth air superiority fighter boasts top-notch attributes.   

It incorporates highly dependable stealth technology, earning it recognition as one of the best in its class.

1. Lockheed Martin F-35: $177 million

The F-35 went down in history as the most expensive weapon system ever. Operational costs of the newest fifth-generation fighter jet are some of the highest in the world, making the aircraft relatively expensive to buy and maintain. From 2022, the unit cost of F-35 has further increased because of inflation, lower quantities, and improved capabilities. 

In a report published in late May 2023, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) wrote that 鈥渢he program attributes the increased procurement cost to , along with support costs for equipment, technical data, and training.鈥� 

The A, B, and C variants of the F-35 are, for all intents and purposes, different aircraft. The most expensive is the F-35B, designed for short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL). 

With a price tag of approximately $177 million per unit, it also claims the title of the most expensive aircraft on this list.

A table: Top 10 most expensive fighter jets in 2024

The deal will expand its current F-35 fleet from 50 to 75 and is set to be financed through US defense aid to Israel, the country’s defense ministry said in a statement on July 2, 2023. This will make Israel the country with the largest fleet of F-35s outside the US. 

Additionally, cooperation between American companies and Israeli defense industries will continue in the production of aircraft parts. Both Lockheed Martin and US-based engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney have agreed to involve Israel in the process. 

Previously, Israeli companies were already involved with the development of technologies connected to the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program鈥� focused on the development and deployment of the F-35. 

The helmet for this fighter jet is produced by a joint venture between Elbit Systems and Rockwell Collins, while state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries () stated in June 2022 that it was scheduled to produce a total of 811 pairs of F-35A wings by 2034 in deals worth around $2 billion.  

The F-35 fighter jet, also known by its Hebrew name 鈥淎dir鈥� (Mighty in English), has been in the Israeli Air Forces fleet since June 22, 2016. It is recognized as the world’s most advanced fighter jet and Israel is the only country in the Middle East to operate it. 

The announcement of the deal comes amid growing tensions with Iran, which is continuing to develop its ballistic missile program despite opposition from the US and Israel. 

Israel previously used F-35 jets to shoot down Iranian kamikaze drones and missiles in November 2022. 

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鈥淲e resumed F-35 production flight operations today following an F135 engine mitigation action. Safety remains our top priority as we continue to produce the world精东影业 most advanced aircraft,鈥� Lockheed Martin said in a published on March 6, 2023.聽聽

The resumption marks the end of a three-month saga which started with an F-35 crash landing at a Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth, Texas, on December 15, 2024.  

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A number of F-35 jets were grounded following the crash, and the authorities began an investigation into the cause of the engine issues that caused the incident. 

The incident also resulted in a delivery pause on new Pratt & Whitney F135 engines for the aircraft, with testing of the newly assembled aircraft also paused 

The engines were found to be affected by 鈥渞are system phenomenon involving harmonic resonance,鈥� Pratt & Whitney later explained, as the companies scrambled to find a solution for the problem.  

The fix was only found in late February 2023, and the US Department of Defense (DoD) gave the green light for engine deliveries to resume.  

The DoD also rolling out the fix, said to be 鈥渋nexpensive and non-intrusive鈥�, on all aircraft of the global F-35 fleet, despite claiming that the vibration issue was 鈥渧ery rare鈥�.聽聽

The almost three-month long delivery pause, and the partial grounding of the F-35 fleet took its toll on combat capabilities of the model. According to a report by the US Congressional Budget Office, availability of A and B variants of the aircraft dropped in 2022 compared to 2021, showing that the jet was less combat-ready than before. 

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Known only as Hux, the pilot made the disclosure in a documentary on the called The Warship: Tour of Duty.

In footage shot by the filmmakers shortly after he was rescued back in November 2021 but only now being televised, Hux said he knew he was in trouble when nothing in his jet seemed to work.

“I tried for emergency power, that didn’t work, then I tried to slap on the brakes, that didn’t work either [鈥 so I kind of knew it was going to roll off the ship,” he told the BBC.

The danger for the RAF pilot was not immediately over after he ejected from the $120million fighter jet, as he risked being swamped by the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier if he fell into the sea.

鈥淚 could see the flight deck of the ship starting to appear beneath me,鈥� he explained and then managed to land on the carrier by just a 鈥渇ew feet鈥�.

Hux suffered only minor injuries during the episode and the RAF was able to recover the plane from the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Egypt.

An investigation into the incident found that the loss of power was probably caused by a cover left on a jet intake.

The Warship: Tour of Duty is a six-part documentary following HMS Queen Elizabeth精东影业 return journey to the Pacific last year.

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A US Congressional Budget Office on the availability and use of the F-35 was updated with new information in February 2023, adding data from the previous year.聽聽

Worrying numbers聽聽

The availability of the jets, meaning the percentage of aircraft that are considered mission-capable and possessed by operational squadrons, fell by 11% for the F-35A and by 7% for the F-35B. Only the carrier-borne F-35C showed an increase of availability by 4%.   

Full mission availability, a measure that shows what percentage of aircraft can perform all their tasked missions, also fell for the F-35A and the F-35B but rose for the F-35C.  

Flying hours per airframe showed only a marginal increase for all three variants after an uneven but steady rise during the last decade.聽聽

The report also analyzed the relationship between the age of a particular F-35 and its availability, aiming to show how aging affects the jet.   

The results suggest that in terms of both availability and flying hours, the F-35A is more affected by aging than the F-15 and the F-22. However, aging affected the F-35B in a similar manner to the AV-8B Harrier. When it comes to the F-35C, availability was affected in a similar way to the F/A-18, but the jet精东影业 flying hours appeared to drop more with age when compared to the F/A-18. 聽

A difficult year聽

The F-35 procurement program experienced several significant setbacks in 2022. Delivery of the jet was stopped for a month between September and October 2022 after Chinese-made alloys were found to be used in the aircraft精东影业 production.  

The availability rate of the aircraft was likely to have been heavily affected by several groundings following incidents involving the F-35.  

In December 2022 part of pentagon精东影业 F-35 fleet was grounded after the F-35B crash-landed during a test flight at the Fort Worth air base in Texas.  

Large parts of the fleet were also grounded in August-September 2022 when faults with Martin Baker ejection seats were discovered.  

The year also brought new international customers for the F-35 program, with Germany, Canada and Switzerland ordering the jet, while several other countries, including Greece, Czechia and Thailand, also requested to purchase the jet. 

However, the paused deliveries likely resulted in Lockheed Martin not being able to deliver planned numbers of the aircraft.  

The occasion was marked by BAE Systems, the manufacturer of F-35精东影业 rear fuselage sections, which announced delivery of the 1,000th fuselage built at its facility in Samlesbury, Lancashire.  

鈥淭his is a significant moment for everyone involved in the programme and a testament to the highly-skilled workforce we have in the North West of England,鈥� Cliff Robson, Group Managing Director at BAE Systems Air, is quoted as saying in the company精东影业 press .  

The milestone delivery marks a step forward in the aircraft精东影业 manufacturing effort, which saw a steady production ramp-up, coupled with an increase in foreign sales.  

Lockheed Martin has been preparing for this milestone for a while. The 1,000th engine for the jet was delivered by Pratt & Whitney in September 2022, although it is unlikely that the exact engine will be used on the 1,000th fuselage.  

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In 2021 Lockheed Martin estimated that the 1,000th F-35 would be delivered in 2023. However, the program encountered significant problems in that time, including the discovery that Chinese alloys were being used to manufacture the aircraft.  

The discovery resulted in an investigation and deliveries of jet being placed on hold for a month. Lockheed Martin did not comment on the effect of this hurdle and how far back it had set the program.  

Despite the difficulties, the F-35 is already by far the most numerous fifth-generation fighter jet in the world. Fewer than 200 F-22s were ever built. The number of China精东影业 own J-20 are also estimated at 200, while around 10 of Russia精东影业 Sukhoi Su-57s are currently operational.  

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The decision was based on the recommendation of the F-35 program office at the US Department of Defense, issued following the crash of an F-35B during a test flight at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth (FWH) in Texas, the United States.

鈥淭he IAF will analyze the findings from the incident and will draw conclusions and recommendations for the safe return of the aircraft to operational duty,鈥� the air force said in a statement.

On December 15, 2022, a Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II fighter jet was attempting to land vertically at Fort Worth air base when it bounced off the runway. The aircraft精东影业 nose then pitched down, and the nose gear collapsed, sending the jet sliding forward and spinning slowly. The pilot ejected from the fighter.

Lockheed Martin uses the runway at Fort Worth air base for testing and the aircraft in question had not been yet delivered to the US military. The investigation into the accident is still ongoing.

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Unexpected consequences

It might seem unexpected that the crash of December 15, 2022, would have consequences for the IAF.

The aircraft that went down in Fort Worth was a short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of Lockheed Martin精东影业 fighter and was attempting to land vertically when it crashed.

Unlike the aircraft involved in the incident, the fleet of 33 F-35I “Adir” jets that the IAF operates is based on the F-35A, the conventional takeoff variant.

Moreover, the F-35Bs of the British Royal Navy and of the Italian Navy were seemingly unaffected.

One may thus suspect that the early findings of the ongoing investigation pointed at an element common to multiple, if not all, variants of the F-35.

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Canada精东影业 Treasury Board gave the Department of National Defence the green light to spend CA$ 7 billion ($5,14 Billion) on the jets.

16 F-35s and a host of additional equipment and services will be purchased for the sum, , which referred to sources within the government.

The information has been confirmed by two defense sources, CTV News added. Additionally, the document that confirms the development, has been viewed by national news agency The Canadian Press.

As well as the first batch of jets, the purchase includes spare parts, weapons and building of special facilities, CTV Canada report stated.

The approval could mark the final step in the Canadian F-35 saga, which has dragged on for more than a decade and resulted in countless twists.

Canada revealed its plan to order a fleet of F-35s in 2010. The new jets were slated to replace the country精东影业 aging fleet of CF-18 Hornets, special versions of McDonnel Douglas F/A-18s that have been serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) since the 1980s.

Canada was also one of the members of the Joint Strike Fighter program and heavily invested into the development of the F-35. However, following a change of government and some budget cuts, the order hung in the balance.

A new tender for a replacement fighter jet fleet was launched in 2017, resulting in a competition between the F-35, Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault精东影业 Rafale, and Saab JAS 39 Gripen.

By 2021, only the F-35 and JAS 39 Gripen remained after other contestants either withdrew offers or were rejected. In early 2022 the F-35 was picked again, with the country精东影业 Ministry of National Defense commenting that the fifth-generation offered the best outcome for the RCAF.

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However, the decision spurred discontent and drew criticism from both political opposition and various citizen organizations.

Swedish plane maker Saab, the manufacturer of the Gripen which lost to the F-35, also voiced discontent, claiming that the competition was unfair.

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Thailand continues discussing the possibility to acquire two Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter jets, the country精东影业 media reports. 

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Israeli F-35 fighter jets conducted a deep incursion into Syria and struck a convoy carrying Iranian kamikaze drones and missiles, reports suggest. 

If the reports are true, this is not the first Israeli strike on Iranian targets within Syria. For example, in late October 2022, SOHR reported that Israeli strikes destroyed an Iranian drone production facility located near Damascus, Syria.  

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