Soaring Giants: Unveiling the Biggest and Most Costly Military Aircraft Ever Built

4. Foxhound MiG-31

Joined the Service in 1975 Not retired: N/A Expense: $33.2 million The MiG-31 Foxhound, another aircraft from the Soviet era, was created in 1975 and debuted in 1981. Both the Kazakhstan Air Force and the Russian Aerospace Forces continue to utilise this aircraft. UNAC has built 519 of these supersonic interceptor aircraft to date.

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MiG-31 Foxhound "Arseniy Shemyakin" Image / Shutterstock The MiG-31 Foxhound was created to take the place of the Foxbat, and the two aircraft are identical in terms of design. Being among the quickest combat planes in the world, the MiG-31 was probably kept in service after the Soviet Union fell. Russia declared that the MiG-31 will remain in service through at least 2030.

5. B-2 Spirit Northrop Grumman

Joined the Service in 1989 2000 saw the retirement Expense: *$2.1 billion Northrop Grumman, with annual revenues over $30 billion, is among the world's leading defence manufacturers. The B-2 Spirit is among Northrop Grumman's most well-known inventions. This large strategic bomber, also known as the Stealth Bomber, was equipped with technology that allowed it to breach strong anti-aircraft defences.

B-2 Spirit Northrop Grumman @ron_eisele / Twitter.com The B-2 Spirit is a two-person crew-only aircraft that can carry both conventional and thermonuclear missiles. The first flight of this Northrop Grumman Corp. jet occurred in 1989, and it was manufactured up to 2000. Stealth Bombers from the 1990s are still in service today, despite the project's short lifespan due to exorbitant costs. There were 21 made.