F-35B costs 190 million pounds each?

Hat tip to Defense-Aerospace for the link!

via Forces.net

This is the moment a Royal Air Force Voyager refuels a £190 million UK F-35B combat aircraft over the Nevada Desert in a test of the capabilities of the UK’s most advanced warplane.

As the tempo increases to prepare the UK’s F-35B for deployment, we exclusively go behind the scenes of the test centre in Edwards, California. 

Story here. 

First I did a double take.  I had to be sure that they weren't talking about a couple of F-35s.

Then I copied the page cause I expect Joint Program Office and Lockheed Martin press relations to request a modification of the article and/or changes made by Forces.net when they get a bit of pushback.

The reality?

Even at 100 million dollars I don't see how the UK MoD can afford 138 airframes.

Some are tossing around 80 as the number of planes.  I seriously doubt they get above 50.  The QE might have a spattering of F-35s but in reality the UK Joint Helicopter Force just found its new ride.