When it comes to defense spending, the United States is in a league of its own. Earlier this year, the House of Representatives authorized $840 billion in defense expenditures for 2023, raising President Joe Biden’s proposed military budget by $37 billion under the annual National Defense Authorization Act. (See countries spending the most on the military.)
To find the newest weapons the U.S. military is buying in 2023, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee’s 2023 defense funding bill. We are only accounting for new weapons that are being purchased this year, with the exception of the Abrams tank, which is being updated into a new version. Weapons systems are ranked according to the total budget allocation.
The increase in defense spending comes at a time of heightened global tension. The U.S. is helping fund Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s military incursion that began in February, and there are concerns about China’s intention to invade Taiwan and extend its hegemony in Asia and the Pacific.
The total budget allocation of 11 of the weapons is more than $1 billion each. Four helicopter weapons groups – the AH-64 Apache, the HH-60W Blackhawk, the UH/HH-60M Blackhawk, and the CH-53K King Stallion – have a combined budget allocation of more than $4 billion.
The Navy will get two of the biggest-ticket weapons on the list – two Virginia-class submarines at $5.6 billion and two Arleigh-Burke guided-missile destroyers for $7.3 billion. (Here are $31 billion dollar weapons the U.S. military will invest in next year.)
Click here to see 22 new weapons in the US military budget next year.
22. T-ATS Navajo class
>Total FY 2023 budget allocation: $10 million
>Total vehicles ordered: 1
>Type: Towing, salvage, and rescue ship
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21. MQ-9 Reaper
>Total FY 2023 budget allocation: $98 million
>Total vehicles ordered: 5
>Type: Drone
20. SOCOM Armed Overwatch
>Total FY 2023 budget allocation: $246 million
>Total vehicles ordered: 9
>Type: Classified
19. KC-130J Hercules
>Total FY 2023 budget allocation: $430.5 million
>Total vehicles ordered: 5
>Type: Transport aircraft
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18. M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams
>Total FY 2023 budget allocation: $634 million
>Total vehicles ordered: 44
>Type: Tank
17. Paladin Field Artillery Support Vehicles
>Total FY 2023 budget allocation: $680 million
>Total vehicles ordered: 48
>Type: Artillery Support Vehicle
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16. Joint Light Tactical Vehicle
>Total FY 2023 budget allocation: $686 million
>Total vehicles ordered: 1,528
>Type: Transport vehicle
15. AH-64 Apache
>Total FY 2023 budget allocation: $693 million
>Total vehicles ordered: 35
>Type: Attack helicopter
14. HH-60W Blackhawk
>Total FY 2023 budget allocation: $694 million
>Total vehicles ordered: 10
>Type: Combat rescue helicopter
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13. E-2D AHE Advanced Hawkeye
>Total FY 2023 budget allocation: $802.7 million
>Total vehicles ordered: 5
>Type: Early warning aircraft
12. UH/HH-60M Blackhawk
>Total FY 2023 budget allocation: $991 million
>Total vehicles ordered: 35
>Type: Attack helicopter
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11. T-AO Naval Sea Systems Command
>Total FY 2023 budget allocation: $1.0 billion
>Total vehicles ordered: 1
>Type: Fleet replenishment oiler
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10. LHA
>Total FY 2023 budget allocation: $1.1 billion
>Total vehicles ordered: 1
>Type: America class amphibious assault
9. Constellation class frigate
>Total FY 2023 budget allocation: $1.3 billion
>Total vehicles ordered: 1
>Type: Frigate
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8. B-21 Raider
>Total FY 2023 budget allocation: $1.5 billion
>Total vehicles ordered: Classified
>Type: Bomber jet
7. LPD Flight II
>Total FY 2023 budget allocation: $1.8 billion
>Total vehicles ordered: 1
>Type: San Antonio amphibious transport dock
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6. CH-53K King Stallion
>Total FY 2023 budget allocation: $1.86 billion
>Total vehicles ordered: 12
>Type: Heavy lift helicopter
5. F-15EX Eagle II
>Total FY 2023 budget allocation: $1.9 billion
>Total vehicles ordered: 18
>Type: Fighter jet
4. KC-46 Tanker
>Total FY 2023 budget allocation: $2.7 billion
>Total vehicles ordered: 15
>Type: Aerial refueling and transport aircraft
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3. Virginia class submarine
>Total FY 2023 budget allocation: $5.6 billion
>Total vehicles ordered: 2
>Type: Nuclear submarine
2. F-35 Lightning II
>Total FY 2023 budget allocation: $7.2 billion
>Total vehicles ordered: 61
>Type: Fighter jet
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1. Arleigh-Burke destroyer
>Total FY 2023 budget allocation: $7.3 billion
>Total vehicles ordered: 2
>Type: Guided missile destroyer
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