a day ago
B-2 Stealth Bomber and F-22 jets welcomed Putin to Alaska: Here's how much they cost
As Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Anchorage, Alaska, for his meeting with President Donald Trump on Friday, the US military showcased a display of what appeared to be B-2 Stealth Bombers and F-22 Raptor jets overhead at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. A B-2 bomber (C) and four F-35 fighter jets fly overhead as US President Donald Trump greets Russian President Vladimir Putin (AFP)
Putin and Trump, meanwhile, shook hands after walking on the red carpet laid down in front of their respective jets. The two leaders then got into a limousine for their meeting. The summit is underway at the time of writing this story.
While videos of the B-2 Bombers and F-22 Raptor jets surfaced on social media, several users wondered how much they cost.
Read More: Putin's bizarre reaction to 'when will you stop killing' question before Trump meeting - Watch
How much do B-2 Bombers and F-22 Raptor jets cost?
The B-2 Spirit carries a per-unit cost exceeding $2 billion, reflecting its advanced radar-evading design and $44 billion total program expense for 21 units.
'Each aircraft cost more than $2 billion, when including adjustments to the bombers in 1997. In addition, it is estimated that each bomber costs some $40 million annually to maintain,' Britannica Encyclopedia Online writes, citing reports.
Last year, the Governmental Accountability Office (GAO) reported, the total F-22 program cost more than $67 billion, which means the cost per plane is around $350 million.
Trump-Putin meeting
The two leaders began talks at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, a US military facility. Trump greeted Putin with a handshake and a pat on the arm, later walking alongside him as they watched a ceremonial flyover.
Inside the meeting room, Trump was flanked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff, while Putin was joined by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov.
'I've got to let Ukraine make that decision,' Trump said, referring to potential land swaps, ahead of the meeting. 'I'm not here to negotiate for Ukraine. I'm here to get them to the table.'
