Why Buying A Fighter Jet Costs Far More Than Its Advertised Price

When many articles discuss the cost of fighter jets, they tend to discuss the initial flyaway cost of the jets. But while these costs are significant and important, they are also only one part of the total acquisition costs. If focus is given to them to the exclusion of other costs, they are arguably more unhelpful than they are helpful. Flyaway costs are easy-to-understand figures and are commonly used by companies to market their jets as “affordable.” The true costs of having a fighter jet capability are extremely complicated, and this article will only scratch the surface.