To get a better idea of how the pricing works out, take the sticker price of your car and add the cost of fuel, oil, windshield washer fluid, tires, floormats, maintenance and repair, insurance, annual licensing, driveway resurfacing, garage door replacement, speeding tickets, washing and waxing, rust prevention, child seats, and stereo upgrades over a twenty-year period. You'd probably be rather surprised at how that all adds up.
For the helicopter, there's also a simulator, initial aircrew and groundcrew training, publications (including translation into unique Canadian French - the initial CH146 pubs were translated in Belgium which didn't cut it but what did Bell know about French?), work stands, tools, towbars, and a bunch of other stuff. Bigger hangars and more/bigger bowsers for refuelling will also be needed, but whether that is included in the budget or not I've no idea. We bought one hundred CH146 for $1 billion, at a unit cost of about $6 million each, with the rest being taken up with the other associated costs.
As for the media and the Dutch angle, I've seen several articles about that. They're aware.
Ours were C+ models, incorporating several features that were later included on the D model but still with C model engines, rotors, electrics, and hydraulics. Operating costs had risen over time as the US Army rebuilt all of their CH47s as D models and parts became scarce. Conversion to D model standard would have cut operating costs in half.
While they were not noted for reliability in their later years I had five to play with for Ex On Guard 90 (Milcon in Pet) and they worked out very well. All five showed up as promised for kick-off, and I don't think that they dropped below 80% serviceability/availability for the rest of the two-week ex despite a pretty heavy workload.
