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.
Kesler estimated the Pentagon would spend another $40 million over the next three weeks as NATO assumes full control of coalition operations from the United States and U.S. forces gradually reduce their presence.
"After that, if U.S. forces stay at the levels currently planned and the operations continues, we would incur added costs of about $40 million per month," she told AFP.
U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead said last week that the operational costs in Libya were negligible.
"Because we're not mobilizing or sending more forces forward, all of these are relatively minor increases in costs," he said, adding that the United States would easily replenish its stock of Tomahawk missiles, which currently counts 3,000 such munitions.
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)
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.
Kesler estimated the Pentagon would spend another $40 million over the next three weeks as NATO assumes full control of coalition operations from the United States and U.S. forces gradually reduce their presence.
"After that, if U.S. forces stay at the levels currently planned and the operations continues, we would incur added costs of about $40 million per month," she told AFP.
U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead said last week that the operational costs in Libya were negligible.
"Because we're not mobilizing or sending more forces forward, all of these are relatively minor increases in costs," he said, adding that the United States would easily replenish its stock of Tomahawk missiles, which currently counts 3,000 such munitions.
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