The next glutton. CH-53K.

What happens when you have a questionable, uber expensive program (F-35) that's killing off much needed gear like the Marine Personnel Carrier, Amphibious Combat Vehicle, the JLTV and others?

Other aviation programs destined for the Marine Air Wing come into question.

Programs like the CH-53K.  Check out this chart from ELP Blog.

The following are program unit costs from various 2012 U.S. DOD Select Acquisition Reports (SAR) on military aircraft.
These unit costs are the predicted average over the life of the program. These numbers are sometimes off compared to what you see DOD spend each year on air frames. Authorized budgets are the real money; SARs are predictions. The numbers below also assume that no air frames are cut and that costs do not rise for other reasons such as problems in development. Still an interesting snapshot:
CH-53K............$142M
E-2D...............$272M
P-8A...............$286M
V-22...............$119M
C-130J............$92M
KC-46A............$288M
F-18E/F...........$90M
F-35...............$135M; F-35 motor on separate SAR category; $26M

I love the CH-53 series of helicopters.  I think Sikorsky is a great company (I have an issue with them selling BlackHawks to China, but everyone is dancing to the Red Dragon beat), and I love their entire line of products.

But 142 mil for a transport helicopter?

Makes me wonder if piggybacking off the Army's buy of the CH-47 wouldn't be such a bad idea. 

NOTE:  I continue to marvel at the arrogance of leadership.  They acknowledge the fact that the Marine Corps has put into service the new AH-1Z, UH-1Y, MV-22B/C, and are breaking the bank with the F-35B.  When asked why so many resources are headed to the wing instead of the ground side, they reply that the infantry has gotten a ton of new gear during the war on terror.  Boots?  782 gear?  A new rifle (that is conceptually silly..yeah talking about the M27)?  A 120mm mortar that doctrine is still being written on?  Compared to the new aircraft in the Marine Corps its a pittance.  They should be called on their stupidity.