$122 billion in new cost growth: Weapons programs that went over budget this year

In one year, 46 of the Pentagon's biggest weapons programs reported $122 billion in cost increases. The average new system now takes over 12 years to deliver.

FraudBadPublic receipt
Department of Defense

Planned spend on the costliest weapons programsOver $2.4 trillion²
Programs reporting cost increases46 of 72²
Total of those increases$122B²
Programs reporting decreases16, totaling $47B²
Average time to deliver a new capabilityOver 12 years²
Penalty for going over████████████████

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What happened

GAO's 2026 annual review of the Pentagon's major weapons programs found 46 of 72 programs reported cost increases totaling $122 billion, against $47 billion in decreases elsewhere.

The department plans to spend more than $2.4 trillion on these programs. The average time to field a new capability rose to more than 12 years.

Why nobody caught it

Cost growth is reported every year, and the programs continue.

How sure are we?

Over budget

Officially measured cost growth or delay beyond what was promised.

Measured by GAO from the Pentagon's own program data. Cost growth isn't fraud; it's money spent beyond what Congress was told.

Sources

GAO-26-108457: Weapon systems annual assessmentU.S. Government Accountability Office · Jul 2026
Pentagon's top new weapons programs are 12 years behind schedule: watchdogDefense News · Jul 6, 2026

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