The cost comparison uses an estimate that Britain's £6.2 billion carrier programme paid for three and a half ships' worth because of delays and procurement decisions. Dividing that sum by three and a half gives a hypothetical unit cost of about £1.7 billion. Against the quoted F-35B estimate of roughly £85 million per aircraft, twenty fighters would equal that hypothetical hull cost, and thirty-six would approach twice it. These figures illustrate how expensive modern air groups have become relative to their parent ships. The £1.7 billion figure is a counterfactual calculation, not the actual average price paid for the two carriers.
Notable Point · 1:28:28-1:32:20
When the air wing rivals the carrier's cost
Using a hypothetical carrier cost without procurement delays, twenty F-35Bs would cost about as much as the hull.