
The A-10 is an older jet, and most models flying today were built in the 1980s. The A-10 Thunderbolt ground attack is the cheapest armed fixed-wing plane to fly in the entire Pentagon fleet, costing just $22,531 an hour. F-35 Joint Strike Fighter: $41,986/hourįirst on deck are fighter planes, and we’ll start with the good news.Three A-10 Thunderbolt “Warthogs” fly in formation at the Chicago Air and Water Show, August 20, 2022. military aircraft cost to fly, by the hour. The GAO’s numbers use consistent criteria, making them useful for comparing various types of aircraft in service at the same time. Different government agencies, analysts, and defense contractors offer varying figures based on different criteria. Operating cost, which the GAO defines as “ repair parts, depot and field maintenance, contract services, engineering support, and personnel” plus “other things,” is at times difficult to nail down. military aircraft operating cost and availability. The GAO, a nonpartisan government agency that provides information to Congress, just published Weapon System Sustainment, a report on U.S. In general, the more sophisticated the plane the more expensive it is to fly, with age being another factor. A new report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) details how much it costs to fly 47 different types of aircraft flown by the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Army. military is the largest and most powerful in the world, but that power doesn’t come without a heavy financial cost. The report lays bare the reality that it costs far more to fly the planes than it does to buy them.The report covers everything from strategic bombers to attack helicopters.A new report by the Government Accountability Office details how much it costs to fly certain U.S.
