Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is aiming at major defense contractors, calling out exorbitant maintenance costs and pushing for a bipartisan law that would grant the U.S. military the legal right to fix its own equipment.

The “$47,000” Knob

During a recent Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Warren highlighted a glaring example of taxpayer waste involving Black Hawk helicopters, which are manufactured by Lockheed Martin Corp.'s (NYSE:LMT) Sikorsky.

She pointed out that a small navigational knob frequently breaks, which the Army could theoretically replace for a mere $15. However, strict vendor lock-in prevents military mechanics from doing the work.

“Because the Army doesn't have the right to repair, the whole helicopter goes offline, and the contractor charges $47,000 to replace the entire screen,” Warren stated. “Let that sink in: $15 or $47,000.”

A $15 repair should not turn into a $47,000 bill paid by taxpayers. But that's what happens when defense contractors lock the Army out of fixing its own equipment. We need to pass my bipartisan military right to repair law now. pic.twitter.com/htKxAGD92E

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) May 12, 2026