Costs of Helicopters

[dragonfire]

Hi,

Need help with the costs of the following helos, approx costs (as per current rates / last known cost) should be fine. The base unit price should be fine

Mil Mi-25
Mil Mi-35
Mil Mi-26
EC725 Cougar
MH-6/Ah-6 Lttle bird
UH-60 Blackbird (Wiki states $5.9 mil - i think tht info is dated)
Kamov Ka-52
AH-1Z Viper
UH-1Y Venom
Bell 412
Bell 429
AW159 Lynx Wildcat (tentative)
Eurocopter Panther
EC 635
MBB BK 117 A-3M
EC 175 (tentative)
EC AS550/555
Kamov Ka-60

 

[Ryan UK]

Brazil purchased 12 Mi-35s for $300million so i guess the individual cost of an Mi-35 would be around $25million (US$)

 

[Marc 1]

This is such a difficult question to answer.

1. It may depend on whether you are buying a newly developed chopper, then the manufacturer would most definately be adding the additional costs of the research, testing and development of the device. Whereas if you were to buy a mature design that has already had hundeds or thousands already produced, a manufacturer would probably consider that the tooling and development was already paid for, so will be happy to give a 'cost of materials plus profit price.

3. What equipment/avionics will be fitted? Will the airframe need to be modified? Australia spent over a billion dollars to try and modify 11 Seasprite helos for service - Even if the 'sprites had been accepted and worked well, their airframes weren't worth $100M each!

2. How many will be purchased - usually the unit price comes down the more units that are purchased.

3. What other items are being bought? Sometimes because there may be other items of military equipment being bought the price is figured differently (sort of a package deal if you will).

Beware also of just going off the purchase costs quoted in many of the defence announcements. The figure announced in such a purchase may also include a full spare parts inventory, training systems, simulators, ground support equipment and delivery of all of that. A package deal if you will. For example Australia's 24 Super Hornets cost $6Bn - that equates to $250M per airframe - now the real airframe cost is probably no more than a quarter of that - the rest is support costs over 10 years IIRC.

 

[dragonfire]

Brazil purchased 12 Mi-35s for $300million so i guess the individual cost of an Mi-35 would be around $25million (US$)

Thanks Ryan UK

This is such a difficult question to answer..

The Unit Base price should be fine or as Ryan has replied any deal based current pricing also could help my research - Thanks

 

[the road runner]

Found a price for Eurocopter tigers on wikki.....not the best site,but they had the cost of the Different Tiger models and Apache cost estimates.

Eurocopter Tiger - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cost
The system cost (helicopter, armament, support) depends on number and version:

Tiger HAP $35–39 million USD
Tiger ARH $36 million USD
Tiger HAD $44–48 million USD
Tiger UHT $38–43 million USD
(Comparison Apache Longbow $48–52 million USD


I think it will be virtually impossible to get a current price on all Helis.
Some sources/contracts will have a unit price for sale of a platform,others will be a contractual price.

You may have to take inflation into account on some figures.
You may even have have to guesstimate the cost of some copters.

Tiger ARH / Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter

The above article states Tigers at a unit price of $50 million US

Wish you the best of luck dragonfire

Hope this helped

 

[dragonfire]

Found a price for Eurocopter tigers on wikki.....not the best site,but they had the cost of the Different Tiger models and Apache cost estimates.

Eurocopter Tiger - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cost
The system cost (helicopter, armament, support) depends on number and version:

Tiger HAP $35–39 million USD
Tiger ARH $36 million USD
Tiger HAD $44–48 million USD
Tiger UHT $38–43 million USD
(Comparison Apache Longbow $48–52 million USD


I think it will be virtually impossible to get a current price on all Helis.
Some sources/contracts will have a unit price for sale of a platform,others will be a contractual price.

You may have to take inflation into account on some figures.
You may even have have to guesstimate the cost of some copters.

Tiger ARH / Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter

The above article states Tigers at a unit price of $50 million US

Wish you the best of luck dragonfire

Hope this helped

Hey thanks for the info Road Runner, i already had the info though on tigers and apaches and many others as well. But couldnt find the accurate info on the helis in the first post. Hoping other forum members can help

Some info i found earlier

Mil Mi-8-------------------$ 5-8 mil
Mil Mi-17-----------------$ 15 mil
HAL Dhruv---------------$ 8 mil
MH-60 Blackhawk-----$ 5.9 mil
NH-90---------------------$ 22 mil
MH-47 Chinook--------$ 10.3 mil
EC AS355---------------$ 3-4 mil
Eurocopter Tiger-------$ 35-48 mil
AW 129 Mangusta-----$ 43-63 mil
Apache Longbow-------$ 48-52 mil
Bell SuperCobra--------$ 10.7 mil
Mil Mi-28-------------------$ 16-18 mil

 

[Marc 1]

Hey thanks for the info Road Runner, i already had the info though on tigers and apaches and many others as well. But couldnt find the accurate info on the helis in the first post. Hoping other forum members can help

Some info i found earlier

Mil Mi-8-------------------$ 5-8 mil
Mil Mi-17-----------------$ 15 mil
HAL Dhruv---------------$ 8 mil
MH-60 Blackhawk-----$ 5.9 mil
NH-90---------------------$ 22 mil
MH-47 Chinook--------$ 10.3 mil
EC AS355---------------$ 3-4 mil
Eurocopter Tiger-------$ 35-48 mil
AW 129 Mangusta-----$ 43-63 mil
Apache Longbow-------$ 48-52 mil
Bell SuperCobra--------$ 10.7 mil
Mil Mi-28-------------------$ 16-18 mil

Your list looks umm... interesting. The Mi17 is essentially an Mi-8 with uprated engines and avionics yet costs twice to 3 times as much? I would doubt you could buy a CH-47 let alone an MH-47 for less that the price of an Mi-17 too. Whilst you have set yourself a challenge and a half, I don't think the figures really make sense.

 

[dragonfire]

Your list looks umm... interesting. The Mi17 is essentially an Mi-8 with uprated engines and avionics yet costs twice to 3 times as much? I would doubt you could buy a CH-47 let alone an MH-47 for less that the price of an Mi-17 too. Whilst you have set yourself a challenge and a half, I don't think the figures really make sense.

I know about the inconsistencies and able to relate that only to the time of inputs, so the prices are indicated as of the last date of reports not at one given time. However am more than happy to get corrections

 

[Duffy]

Dragonfire I didn’t get into the various models. Also the prices are at various stages of production thy could have started off higher and ended lower. I hope this helps.

Mil Mi 17 $5.9m/$9m
Mil Mi 25 (around the same as the 35)
Mil Mi 35 $12.5m
Mil Mi 26 $10m/$12m
EC 725 Cougar $12m
MH6 little bird $860k
UH-60 ( 1979) $5.9m ( UH-60M $14m 2008)
MH-60 Seahawk $28m
Kamov Ka-52 $12m/$15m
AH-1Z Viper $10.7m
UH-1Y Venom $1.7m per unit (I believe this is an upgrade only for the existing UH-1N/AH-1W)
Bell 412 $2m +/-
Bell 429 $3.9m
EC 635 $4m
EC 175 $???? (Should hit the market 2012)
Kamov Ka-60 ( only 7 built so far $ PRICELESS)
HAL Dhruv $5.1m
Apache Longbow $56.2m
Mil Mi 28 $15/$17m

Not all prices are at today’s value. And all are US dollars. Happy shopping

 

[dragonfire]

Dragonfire I didn’t get into the various models. Also the prices are at various stages of production thy could have started off higher and ended lower. I hope this helps.

Mil Mi 17 $5.9m/$9m
Mil Mi 25 (around the same as the 35)
Mil Mi 35 $12.5m
Mil Mi 26 $10m/$12m
EC 725 Cougar $12m
MH6 little bird $860k
UH-60 ( 1979) $5.9m ( UH-60M $14m 2008)
MH-60 Seahawk $28m
Kamov Ka-52 $12m/$15m
AH-1Z Viper $10.7m
UH-1Y Venom $1.7m per unit (I believe this is an upgrade only for the existing UH-1N/AH-1W)
Bell 412 $2m +/-
Bell 429 $3.9m
EC 635 $4m
EC 175 $???? (Should hit the market 2012)
Kamov Ka-60 ( only 7 built so far $ PRICELESS)
HAL Dhruv $5.1m
Apache Longbow $56.2m
Mil Mi 28 $15/$17m

Hey Thanks a ton Duffy - I know about the EC 175 - tht's why even a tentative pricing could have helped

The Little bird doesnt even cost a million - perhaps its a good option for the Indian Anti-Terrorist units to consider esp for Urban situations

Happy shopping

I wish

P.S - Could you share the generic sources, could help my future secondary research

 

[gvg]

The Dutch paid $85mln for a CH-47F when they signed their contract in 2007 (including support and spare parts), according to defenseindustrydaily.

 

[Duffy]

Hey Thanks a ton Duffy - I know about the EC 175 - tht's why even a tentative pricing could have helped

The Little bird doesnt even cost a million - perhaps its a good option for the Indian Anti-Terrorist units to consider esp for Urban situations



I wish

P.S - Could you share the generic sources, could help my future secondary research

No problem dragonfire.
My guess for the EC175 would be something in the aria of $14m to $20m range but its just a guess.
Sources are just news and arms deals past and present, No top secret club or anything like that. If I come across any good chopper sites I will post them here.

 

[Duffy]

The Dutch paid $85mln for a CH-47F when they signed their contract in 2007 (including support and spare parts), according to defenseindustrydaily.

gvg The price Of $10.3 m was for the A model. As I stated in the original post I didn't get into various models. To show why I will list the variants of the CH-47 line remember this aircraft has been in production for 47 years
CH-47A / ACH-47A / CH-47B / CH-47C / CH-47D / MH-47D / MH-47E /
CH-47F / MH-47G / HH-47. Plus no less than seven other export models and five Civilian.
The CH-47F that the us army is getting cost $ 32m each new from Boeing.
The D model up grade I think is in the $ 20m range.The six F models the Netherlands are getting are new from Boeing but have a different avionics package but should still be in the $31/$32m range . Its my under standing that after the six new air craft are delivered thy are going to up date the eleven existing D models. I am not real familiar with this deal. From the sounds of it and the amount of $ involved the contract could include the avionics up grade for the existing fleet do to the fact that it is unique to the Netherlands. ( only speculation) None the less the CH-47F is worth are $32m
I apologize for any confusion gjg If I find out anything regarding the Netherlands sale I will post it [/I]

 

[gvg]

........... Its my under standing that after the six new air craft are delivered thy are going to up date the eleven existing D models. I am not real familiar with this deal. From the sounds of it and the amount of $ involved the contract could include the avionics up grade for the existing fleet do to the fact that it is unique to the Netherlands. ( only speculation) None the less the CH-47F is worth are $32m
I apologize for any confusion gjg If I find out anything regarding the Netherlands sale I will post it [/I]

Just read the letter from the Dutch minister of Defence to Parliament.
It doesn't include the upgrade of existing models, but it does include SF-gear/equipment, and in that way they are more like a MH-47.

 

[Duffy]

Just read the letter from the Dutch minister of Defence to Parliament.
It doesn't include the upgrade of existing models, but it does include SF-gear/equipment, and in that way they are more like a MH-47.

Yes thy are like the MH-47 with upgraded engine's and airframe. I tried to read the letter to parliament but I cant read Dutch . The only reason I speculated about the upgrades was the original deal in 2006 had 9 of the new CH-47F along with 18 T55-L-714A turbine engines and ACMS Block 6 cockpits. also upgrading 11 of its existing CH-47D Chinook Cargo Helicopters to the newer CH-47F configuration. If all options are exercised, it would have placed the total value at up to $652 million Now your at $ 509 million for 6 new CH-47F . Thats why I guessed at the upgrades.

As for price for the CH-47F I cut and pasted this from Defense Industry Daily

”...the CHAPS program allows third parties to buy US Army CH-47Ds (already earmarked for ‘re manufacture’ into advanced CH-47Fs) for roughly US $15 M each. This amount is about half the price of a new-build CH-47D and much less than a ‘new-build’ CH-47F. This more modern Chinook, is selling for about US $35 to 40 million each

 

[Duffy]

Hey Thanks a ton Duffy - I know about the EC 175 - tht's why even a tentative pricing could have helped

The Little bird doesnt even cost a million - perhaps its a good option for the Indian Anti-Terrorist units to consider esp for Urban situations



I wish

P.S - Could you share the generic sources, could help my future secondary research

dragonfire here is a pretty good site for most helicopter specs among other things.

Helicopter Gunships - Main Index

 

[Vega]

The UH-60A way back when it first came out cost then 5.9 million dollars. The current UH-60M's coming off of the assembly line are ~14 million dollars.