War Machines of Staggering Costs: Unveiling the Priciest Military Vehicles Ever Built

11. U-2 Dragon Lady

Joined the Service in 1957 Producing company: Lockheed Martin Price: *$9.1 million The U-2, also known as the "Dragon Lady," is a reconnaissance aircraft with a single engine that can reach extremely high altitudes. It was flown by the CIA and is currently in use by the USAF. Regardless of the weather or time of day, the Dragon Lady gathers intelligence. NASA makes use of it as well.

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U-2 Dragon Lady on Twitter.com and @marklanebiz In 1953, Lockheed Martin presented the Dragon Lady's first design. Shortly after, it was first flown over Vietnam, Cuba, China, and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The cost of a Dragon Lady unit today is $9.1 million, which is more than 1,000 times more than it was in 1955. The Soviet Union was the reason for the great demand and appreciation of the Dragon Lady's high-altitude flying capability during the competition phase. During the Cold War, Soviet fighters, radar, and missiles were three major concerns. Designers thought of another notion in addition to counterattacking the apparatus: why not just fly above the Soviets, out of their reach?