Originally Posted by melmothtw
Not sure that's correct, now that the multi-year buys for the Super Hornet have ended. The latest request for the additional platforms gives them a unit cost of close to $100 million, which is in the same ballpark as the F-35 currently is.
The F-35 cost will come down significantly once multi-year buys for that platform begin.
From the Navy FY17PB (based on buying 2 -18E/F and 4 -35C):
Flyaway Unit Cost FY17
-18E/F: 77,791,000
-35C: 166,829,500
2.1x more expensive than Super Hornet
Gross Procurement Unit Cost FY17
-18E/F 92,456,000
-35C: 234,820,000
2.5x more expensive than Super Hornet.
The gross numbers in the unfunded priorities lists are just that: things are included and left out, and are rationalized later. The Super Hornet numbers from the FY17PB are skewed higher by having no advance procurement "discounts" or MYP in place. They are also higher than in past years due to adjustments wrt Growler airframes. But I would expect about 10% less mainly because that bring the amounts in line with costs in FY16 when only five E/Fs were authorized.
But the important point is the -35C will cost significantly more for a less capable aircraft in terms of weapons carriage than the Super Hornet (and legacy Hornets) for years to come.