dailynewsnblog
The cheapest fighter jets in the world cost around $20,000 per hour to fly, while the most expensive are over $80,000 per hour. It may not be surprising to learn that the most costly is, of course, the most sophisticated, and it also happens to be the first fifth-generation fighter jet ever made: the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. On the far low end of the spectrum, the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is just over $20,000 per flight hour, and one of the least costly operational fighter jets in the world.
The United States Air Force is transitioning the bulk of its frontline fighter fleet to fifth-generation stealth jets despite the fact that they cost more than legacy aircraft to operate. How much more is a nuanced question, despite the fact that it may seem obvious up front. Currently, an F-35 Lightning II, the mainline fifth-generation fighter, costs around the same or less than fourth-generation legacy aircraft to purchase but almost twice as much to fly.
The US Air Force is also beginning to develop its sixth-generation Next Generation air dominance, or the Boeing F-47 fighter jet. Before this even more exquisite platform joins the fleet, the goal is to get the F-35 down to $25,000 per flight hour. That would put it just 25% more expensive to operate than a ruggedized A-10 Warthog, AKA the Flying Tank of the USAF. The primary cost driver of the F-22 is actually not the issue with the F-35, as its stealth coatings are much more resilient. However, being a new airframe, it is still experiencing teething issues.
The Most Exquisite Warbirds In The World
At the top of the pyramid sits the F-22 Raptor, burning over $80,000 per flight hour. Much of that cost is sunk into maintaining its near-invisible profile to radar. Every inch of its specialized stealth coating must be meticulously inspected and hand-repaired after almost every flight. This labor-intensive process is combined with its two massive engines and aging, proprietary parts. On top of that, the F-22 still holds the record for the most expensive fighter jet ever procured, estimated to be over $150 million per airframe.
As such, it represents the peak of silver bullet technology that delivers unmatched performance but is bought with an enormous logistical burden. Interestingly, before the 4.5-gen French Dassault Rafale fighter jet, which is used by both the Air Force and Navy, is nearly as expensive as an F-22 to acquire. The purchase price is a lofty $130 million, but notably, its operational costs are extremely low by comparison. The Rafale is about as cheap as an A-10 to fly, even though it’s almost as expensive as an F-22 to buy, according to WION.
This defense industrial model is almost the exact opposite of the F-35 program, yet it will never be a stealth fighter. Currently, France is in talks with Germany and Spain to leap directly to a sixth-generation aircraft in the form of the Future Combat Air System, which is likely to be very expensive to fly.
Bargain Prices For Air Power
The two least expensive fighter jets to fly in the US Air Force, and indeed around the world, are the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon and the A-10 Thunderbolt II. Combined, these two aircraft represent totally different engineering approaches to solving overlapping mission sets. The Viper, as the F-16 is known, was originally intended as a pure dogfighter but eventually became one of the best multirole aircraft ever built.
On a similar thread, but with a different origin story, the Warthog was built as a pure ground attack beast. Its reputation for hard-hitting and brutal strafing runs with its GAU-8 Vulcan Cannon, combined with the incredible resiliency that the airframe has demonstrated, including flying home with almost an entire wing missing, has made it a legend. However, in 2026, both of these jets are being replaced by the F-35, otherwise known as the Joint Strike Fighter.
As the least expensive fighter in the USAF, let’s focus on the A-10. Due to its increasing obsolescence vis-à-vis lack of digital avionics, sensors, and weapon systems, the A-10 is being retired by the US Air Force. The aircraft has an impressively low cost of operation and a very high level of readiness; however, its inability to integrate with the new data link network battlefield makes it incompatible with a 21st-century battlefield.
The US Air Force has been driving to retire the aircraft for years, but its enduring popularity both with lawmakers and boots on the ground has kept the Warthog in action long past its due date. It is being replaced by the F-35A, which uses a completely different means of establishing air dominance and providing close air support. Instead of being a flying tank, it is an invisible glass cannon.
Why The Pentagon Is Worried About International Stealth Fighter Development
The new 5th-generation arms race.
How The Air Force’s High-Low Fleet Mix Is Structured
Only the very best fourth-generation fighter jets are being kept in the inventory as the Air Force recapitalizes its entire fleet. The reason is that, while fifth-generation aircraft are the future and necessary in a near-peer adversary conflict, it is undeniable that their cost is high for ‘mundane’ mission sets. Fifth-generation jets act as the quarterbacks. They sneak deep into enemy territory undetected, using advanced sensors to see everything. They don’t open their bay doors and reveal their position unless they have to.
Newer jets have sensor fusion systems to collect massive amounts of data from the entire battlefield, and they can literally steer a missile fired from an older F-15 flying miles away. Fifth-generation jets allow the Air Force to use the cheaper, high-capacity legacy planes as extra magazines for the expensive, low-capacity stealth jets. Legacy fighters are the missile trucks: an F-15EX can carry up to 22 air-to-air missiles on its wings (the F-35 can only carry four internally).
These jets loiter further back, out of range of the deadliest defenses, waiting for the stealth jet to send them target data via data link. Meanwhile, legacy planes with high performance, like the F-15 or Eurofighter, are perfect for firing long-range cruise missiles or stand-off weapons. Since these missiles can fly hundreds of miles, the plane firing them doesn’t need to be stealthy; it just needs to be big, reliable, and capable of carrying heavy loads.
Modern stealth jets are too expensive to risk on low-end missions like patrolling airspace or intercepting slow-moving drones. These jets save the Air Force airframe hours of the $100 million+ stealth jets for a high-end conflict where they are actually needed.
Here’s Why Air Forces Are Expanding Their Stealth Fighter Programs
The global race for the ultimate stealth jet.
Teamwork Makes The Dream Work
The F-35 is trying to solve the problem of the price tag on an exquisite level stealth fighter through economies of scale. It is known as the Joint Strike Fighter because it was originally intended as a multinational, multi-service branch program to create a common platform not only within the entire US Armed Forces but also many US allied partner nations. It is replacing the Boeing FA-18 Super Hornet, F-16, A-10, F-15, and more.
The F-35C variant is an enabled fighter for the US Navy, while the F-35B variant is a jump jet that is not only flown by the US Marines but also by many nations around the world, including the United Kingdom, Singapore, Spain, and others. Instead of each country or service having its own warehouse of parts, the F-35 Global Sustainment Solution uses a worldwide pool.
There are different tier-level partners, like the United Kingdom, which was a Tier 1 partner from the beginning, thanks to its heavy investment in the program. However, every partner nation receives similar support. There are even two final assembly lines outside of the United States, with one in Italy and one in Japan. The goal is to distribute the maintenance and sustainment around the world, not only reducing the cost of parts by making them more plentiful but also increasing the skill pool to reduce the cost of labor.
How The Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet Stacks Up Against The F-35C In 2026
The US Navy’s strike fighters go head-to-head.
Getting The Joint Strike Fighter Up To Par
As of March 2024, the F-35 officially entered Full-Rate Production, the stage where manufacturing efficiency is highest, and the learning curve for workers supposedly results in the lowest possible per-unit cost. With plans to build nearly 2,500 aircraft for the US and hundreds more for allies, the F-35 program is the largest procurement in history.
Instead of maintaining separate supply chains for different jets, the Pentagon gambled that one stealth jet could do everything. By ordering airframes and parts in lots of large quantities, the Joint Program Office negotiates significantly lower prices for components like engines and sensors.
This was intended to save money on training and parts in the long run. Despite these efforts, the Pentagon’s stretch goal of $25,000 per flight hour by 2025 is viewed by many as unrealistic. Modernizing the engine and cooling systems (Block 4 upgrades) is now the primary focus to prevent maintenance costs from escalating as the fleet matures.
