To-Date Costs of Libya Strikes: $550M

A Harrier jet aircraft assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps’ 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit returns

to the amphibious assault ship Kearsarge for fuel and ammunition resupply on March 21

while conducting air strikes in Libya. (Lance Cpl. Michael S. Lockett / U.S. Marine Corps)

29 Mar 2011 DefenseNews AFP

WASHINGTON - U.S. military strikes on Libya have cost $550 million so far, the Pentagon said March 29, adding that the tab was likely to increase another $40 million in the next few weeks. Between March 19 and 28, the Defense Department spent more than 60 percent of the funds on munitions, such as missiles and bombs, with the rest going toward deploying troops and covering the costs of combat, including additional fuel needed for U.S. aircraft and ships. U.S. troops fired at least 192 of the 199 Tomahawk cruise missiles launched against Libyan air defenses and command centers. Each Tomahawk missile costs about $1.5 million, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe Adm. James Stavridis told a congressional hearing, bringing total expenditures for munitions alone to nearly $300 million. The United States has also launched 455 of the 602 laser-guided weapons used by the coalition over the same period. "Future costs are highly uncertain," said Navy Cmdr. Kathleen Kesler, a Pentagon spokeswoman.