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

8. Globemaster III C-17

Joined the Service in 1991 2012 (T1 Prototype): Retired Expense: *$328 million The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is another aircraft. The McDonnell Douglas division of Boeing designed the Globemaster III. The USAF received this massive military transport aircraft in 1995 after it made its maiden flight in 1991. Tactical and strategic airlift operations are frequent uses for the C-17.

Advertisement

C-17 Globemaster III | Twitter.com / @WQKE10 This Boeing Co-pilot is used for airdrops, medical evacuations, and international troop and freight transportation. The Lockheed C-141 Starlifter was replaced with the C-17. Additionally, the C-17 was intended to free up the C-5 fleet so that it could handle oversize cargo.

9. Kestrel VH-71

Joined the Service in 2007 Not retired: N/A Price: *$241 million Lockheed Martin, AgustaWestland, and Bell Helicopter worked together to produce the VH-71 Kestrel. The project was abandoned in 2009 due to the excessive cost ($13 billion for 28 Kestrels), even though it had made its first flight in 2007. The Marine One Presidential Transport Fleet was originally intended to be replaced by the Lockheed Martin aircraft.

VH-71 Kestrel on Twitter.com and @FASTmuseum Prior to Lockheed Martin's acquisition, the USMC Martin One was marketed as the US101. After cancellation, Lockheed later claimed that the government's repeated demands for unforeseen and exorbitant modifications—none of which were included in the original RFP—were the reason the price was so high.