How Much has US Military-industrial Complex Jacked Up Prices to Profit Off Ukrainian Crisis?
Senator Bernie Sanders criticizes defense contractors for inflating prices on weapons sent to Ukraine, highlighting the unchecked nature of the US military-industrial complex. Examples include:
1. Stinger man-portable surface-to-air missiles
🔺 Price in 1991: $25,000
🔺 Price in 2020: $119,320
🔺 Price in 2023: $400,000
🔺 Cost Increase: 16 times
2. Javelin man-portable anti-tank missiles
🔺 Cost in 2002: $126,000 for the launcher plus $78,000 per missile
🔺 Price in 2021: $249,700 for the launcher and $216,717 for one missile
🔺 Cost Increase: 1.9 times and 2.77 times, respectively
3. M777 towed howitzers
🔺 $2 million apiece in 2008
🔺 $3.73 million each in 2017
🔺 $4+ million apiece in 2023
🔺 Cost Increase: Double (200%)
4. M142 HIMARS rocket artillery systems
🔺 $3.5 million apiece in 2014
🔺 $4.3 million each in 2022 for the domestic market, (or some $19-36.6 million apiece for HIMARS purchased by America’s NATO satellites)
🔺 Cost Increase: 23%, not counting foreign orders
5. Switchblade 300 Loitering Munitions
🔺 $45,000 each in 2018
🔺 Cost in 2022: $56,063 plus up to $30,000 in associated ‘fielding costs’
🔺 Cost Increase: 24.5%
6. Bradley fighting vehicles
🔺 $1.11 million in 1993
🔺 $1.84 million in 2016
🔺 $3.3-$4.35 million each in 2022
🔺 Cost Increase: 2.97 to 3.91 times (nearly 300-400%)
7. M1 Abrams tanks
🔺 $4.3 million in 1989
🔺 $10.66 million in 2023
🔺 Cost Increase: 2.47 times (nearly 250%)
8. Oshkosh M-ATV mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles
🔺 $385,000 apiece in 2017
🔺 $470,000+ each in 2023
🔺 Cost Increase: Almost 25%
9. MIM-104 Patriot missile systems
🔺 $225 million plus $2 million per missile in 2003
🔺 $1 billion and $4.1 million per missile in 2022
🔺 Cost Increase: Over 400% for the system and over 200% for the missiles
