The new Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion, which will be flown exclusively by the U.S. Marine Corps, is the largest and heaviest helicopter in the U.S. military.

It's also the most expensive helicopter in the U.S. military -- and is the most expensive rotary-wing or fixed-wing aircraft in the military when all its costs are added up.

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This means the price of a single CH-53K -- which is $138.5 million -- is a lot more expensive than the much criticized Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter, which now costs some $123 million apiece.

Production of the CH-53K is set to commence and its entry into service will give the Marines a new heavy-lift cargo helicopter to complement the CH-53E Super Stallion, which entered service in 1974.

The Marines will spend $31 billion to buy 200 of the CH-53K heavy-lift helicopters. Defense industry sources said each CH-53K now costs $138.5 million compared to $131.2 million a year ago. Research and development costs, however, are responsible for about a quarter of the CH-53K program's overall cost.

The price of a single CH-53K, however, would be about one third cheaper if development costs aren't included. This will lower the price of a single CH-53K to $96 million, which is still quite expensive. By comparison, a CH-53E will cost $61 million today.

The higher price is a result of the better capabilities offered by the CH-53K. The King Stallion can carry a 12,000 kg load slung underneath up to 177 km in "high and hot" conditions such as those in the Middle East. It can loft this 12,000 kg load out to over 200 km in better conditions.

This is double the capacity of the CH-53E. The CH-53K's payload reaches a maximum of 15,900 kg.

This capability means the King Stallion can lift to carry two armored Humvees or a LAV-25 light armored vehicle. It's more than three times the capacity of the CH-53E.

King Stallion also features fly-by-wire controls, powerful new engines and advanced fourth generation composite rotors.