Top 10 Most Expensive Weapons Programs 2026

The most expensive weapons programs of 2026 are led by the F-35, whose lifetime cost is estimated near $2 trillion, with nine more programs each running into tens or hundreds of billions of dollars. This ranking orders ten programs by headline cost estimate, and it shows why procurement budgets, more than technology, now set the limits of military power.

~$2T

F-35 lifetime cost estimate, including operations

$141B

Sentinel ICBM estimate after its 2024 cost breach

~$200B

Reported B-21 program estimate

10

Programs ranked

How this ranking works

Programs are ordered by the most widely cited public cost estimate, whether it covers development, procurement or full lifetime operation. Because bases differ, each entry notes what is counted, and all numbers are rounded estimates that change with inflation and program restructuring. Programs with classified or undisclosed budgets are included only where an official or widely reported figure exists. Consistent with this site’s editorial policy, companies and platforms headquartered in Israel are excluded from consideration.

Most expensive weapons programs ranked

Top 10 most expensive weapons programs, 2026

Rank	Program	Lead nation	Headline cost estimate	What is counted
1	F-35 Lightning II	USA and partners	About $2 trillion	Lifetime cost including operation and support
2	AUKUS nuclear submarine pathway	Australia, UK, USA	About A$268 to 368 billion	Australian government estimate through the 2050s
3	B-21 Raider	USA	About $200 billion, reported	Program estimate for 100 or more aircraft
4	Golden Dome missile defense	USA	About $175 billion, official estimate	Announced architecture; independent estimates are far higher
5	Sentinel ICBM	USA	About $141 billion	Program estimate after the 2024 review
6	Columbia-class submarines	USA	Roughly $130 billion	Twelve boats, acquisition estimate
7	Future Combat Air System	France, Germany, Spain	Over 100 billion euros, reported	Overall estimate; program in doubt
8	Ford-class carriers	USA	Roughly $50 billion	First four ships
9	GCAP fighter	UK, Italy, Japan	UK commitment about 12 billion pounds to 2035	Partner share only; total is higher
10	Zumwalt-class destroyers	USA	Roughly $23 billion	Three ships plus development

Sources: GAO, CBO, Department of Defense and government statements, press reporting. Estimates are rounded and use different cost bases.

The F-35 tops the list because sustaining a fleet of more than 2,000 aircraft for decades dwarfs the purchase price, which is itself roughly $400 billion for the US fleet. Australia’s submarine pathway, a multi-decade plan to acquire and build nuclear-powered boats with the UK and US, is the largest single naval commitment in its history.

The B-21 Raider is widely reported near $200 billion, with unit cost well below that of earlier stealth bombers but far above its initial targets. Golden Dome, announced in 2025 with an official estimate of $175 billion, is the newest entry, and independent analysts argue the space-based elements could cost much more.

Sentinel, meant to replace the Minuteman III, breached cost limits in 2024 and was restructured. Columbia-class submarines will carry most of the US sea-based deterrent, and Europe’s FCAS has been hit by industrial disputes. The Ford-class carriers and Britain’s commitment to the GCAP fighter follow, and the Zumwalt destroyers close the list as a reminder that even small fleets can be costly.

Why are weapons programs so expensive

Main cost drivers

Driver	Effect
Lifetime support	Operation and maintenance typically outweigh purchase cost on long-lived platforms
Technology risk	New stealth, propulsion and sensor systems add redesigns and delays
Low production rates	Small fleets spread fixed costs across fewer units
Requirement growth	Changing specifications during development raise prices
Industrial base limits	Few shipyards and suppliers can build submarines, carriers or solid rocket motors

Source: Defence and Tech analysis of GAO and CBO findings.

The pattern is consistent. Early estimates are optimistic, requirements expand and a thin supplier base raises prices. Shipbuilding is an especially hard case, as our top 10 defense budgets ranking implies: even the largest budgets must trade one big program against another.

Which expensive programs are at risk

FCAS is the most exposed, with partners disagreeing on leadership and workshare. Sentinel and Columbia face schedule pressure as the industrial base stretches, and Golden Dome’s scope is still being defined. The F-35 is unlikely to be cancelled, but future buys may shrink if upgrades and sustainment costs keep climbing. Carrier programs such as those in our coverage of USS John F. Kennedy show that delays are as costly as design changes.

China and Russia also spend heavily on strategic systems, but their program costs are not transparent, so they are not ranked here.

Editor’s read

Headline numbers reward caution. A program that looks affordable per aircraft or ship can become a national commitment once fifty years of support are counted.