5Lockheed Martin VH-71 Kestrel – Price: $241 million
Built by the Lockheed Martin–led ‘US101 Team’ of Lockheed Martin Systems Integration, Bell Helicopter and AgustaWestland, the VH-71 Kestrel is a variant of the AgustaWestland AW101.
Worth $241 million, the VH-71 was built to replace the U.S. Marine Corps’ Marine One.
In February, 2009, the Secretary of Defense Robert Gates was asked by President Barack Obama to put the project on hold or canceling it because of its high cost (over $13 billion for 28 units).
On July 22, however, the House Appropriations Committee unanimously approved restoring $485 million to fund the military planes.
