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

14. Class Seawolf Submarine

Joined the Service in 1997 Producing company: General Dynamics Electric Boat Division Price: *$3 billion A famous unit for the branch is the Seawolf-class submarines of the Navy. General Dynamics Electric Boat designed the first Seawolf-class SSNs in 1983. Since the Virginia class replaced the Seawolf, three are presently in use. The Seawolf was constructed between 1989 and 2005, and it was put into service formally in 1997.

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Submarine of the Seawolf class @ INDOPACOM / Twitter.com The Seawolf's range is infinite. According to the Navy, the only thing limiting their endurance is the food supply on board. These sturdy SSNs can reach a top speed of 35 knots while being silent, and are manned by 14 officers at a time. The Seawolf has a small fleet in spite of its durability. There are only three Seawolf-class boats. The Seawolf's high cost of production was the cause of its scarcity. The military was forced to make cuts due to extremely tight budgetary restrictions following the Cold War. The smaller Virginia class was designed as a result of these constraints.