I’ve heard the price tag for one of these is around $1b - so Gates clearly has the money to do it. Foreign governments, even ones the US is not necessarily friendly with, seem to be able to buy F15s and such. So, if Bill fancied something a bit flashier than the corporate jet to fly around in, would anything prevent him from acquiring himself a B2? I’m assuming that even if he could, arming it would be out of the question - he’d be breaking some sort of large-scale “offensive weapon” law.
I admit I could be wrong but I don’t thing the US sells B-2s to anybody. Things like F-15s are based on 30 year old technology and we might not even sell some of the most advanced bells and whistles we pack into our latest versions. After all if we wont sell a favored government a few F-15s they might just go and buy a few MIGs or Mirages, they end up with about the same quality of plane but our domestic munitions manufactures would miss out on some money. To my knowledge no one else is cranking out stealth bombers so the fact we arn’t selling them doesn’t cost us market share.
I don’t know about Mr. Gates but I’ve allways suspected that AOL was secretly coveting a few older model B-52s to help better saturate the country with their POS “1 month free” CD’s.
Well, you can buy Russian Migs for not all that much in the US. Mostly older craft like Mig 15, 17, and 21, although I have heard of a couple people getting a hold of Mig 23’s too. I don’t think Northrop would sell him one of those, as it still has classified materials and equipment on board. Bill probably would have to settle for a Russian Mig 29 or Su 30 or something like that.
Like, how much, Dread?
Under $1 M?
What is the maintenance like? How much do they cost to operate? This sounds cool.
Bill would need the State Department’s approval to import a Mig-29 (or -15, -17, etc) or SU-30. If he got the approval, he would have to then get an airworthiness certificate in order to fly it. Since he probably wouldn’t get one he should find a place in his bakyard for it.
From other defense work with our arabic breathren, though they have our “current” main battle tanks there are a lot of packages which are “export rated” instead of “domestic quality” so I’d be surprised to see other countries flying F15D’s in full US config.
blasphmer is basically correct. Although I recall a case about three years back when we sold a block of F-16s to the United Arab Emirates. This block included a new technology, which if I recall correctly, was a phased array radar. The radar, being new, wasn’t in any U.S. F-16s, which put us in the uncomfortable position of having “inferior” technology aboard the domestic version of a rather lethal piece of military hardware.
Here’s some bonus knowledge. Or, as Peter King might say, “Interesting Fact That May Interest Only Me:”
The unit cost of a Nimitz-class nuclear aircraft carrier (crew of 3,000, not incl. air wing): $4.1 billion.
The unit cost of a B-2 bomber (crew of two pilots): $2.2 billion.
These numbers were as of about a year ago, and may have moved somewhat, but it’s hard to believe that one airplane could cost half as much as an entire aircraft carrier. :eek:
There are reasons for that skewed cost figure, Redsland. That cost of 2.2B includes the cost of develpment diveded by all the airframes produced. Orginally, the AF was going to buy 2x or 3x (don’t have a cite in front of me, sorry) the quantity they eventually procured. While that would not make it a bargin aircraft by any stretch, it would have been far more palitable than the entire cost of the program dived into the 20(+/-) airframes that were delivered.
True enough. And, presumably, the unit cost of a Nimitz has dropped somewhat as the development costs have been absorbed over the past thirty years.
As kind of an interesting aside, Bill Gates’ archenemy Larry Ellison tried to buy a MiG-29.
Apparently, the US gov’t wouldn’t let him import it. Wonder if the plane has to be a certain number of years old before you can legally import one? I know people have gotten ahold of MiG-21s before.
Of course, I always find what I’m looking for right after I post.
Click here if you want to buy a MiG-15,17, or 21. No prices given, but I imagine they follow the old “If you have to ask, you can’t afford it” pricing model.
If anyone buys one, give me a ride will ya 
“MIG-21U • AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE SALE!! US reg.aircraft is located in Tulsa ok. Needs annual inspection. $35,000US…”
“MIG_17F • AVAILABLE FOR SALE OR TRADE!! MiG 17F 5 SMOH Fresh Paint Custom Smoke System Cannons Nicest in Country Call $109,000…”
“1961 PZL MIG 17F • AVAILABLE FOR SALE OR EXCHANGE!! … VIEW IMAGE … Polish (LIM 6) MiG 17F Jet Fighter- Licensed and flying! TTSN 1,818. Last complete airframe overhaul by PZL 1988. Engine Afterburning VK-1F TTSN 1,300. TSOVH 135. My MiG has been in restoration for 2years. New IMRON with clear coat paint. No corrosion. This MiG has some combat history. Upgraded/Overhauled and yellow tagged, King Gold Crown avionics include: Mach Airspeed Ind. Encoding Altimeter (F18) KXP750A transponder, KAA 455 Audio Pannel, KGM 691 Glide Slope/MKR beacon, KNR 600A VOR/LOC, KNR 661 VOR/LOC, 2) KTR VHF/Comm with 3 Comm control heads. This package also has DME and ADF. Original gyro horizon. I am retro-fitting a Cornilus 3 stage air compressure with a high pressure moisture filtration system.This truly is a beutiful MiG! The airfraft is located at Tillamook Air Museum in Tillamook Oregon. I will consider trades, Helicopters or other aircraft $135,000.00 OBO…”
Next question: Say that Bill Gates bought himself a B2 bomber. If he had the latest version of Windows installed in it, would it still fly? Discuss…
You mean a Microsoft property might crash? Heavens!
I HAVE A NEW GOAL IN LIFE!
Thankyou!
In reality, doesn’t an average Cessna run ~50-$60,000? And a jet around $400-500,000? So why don’t all of these private pilots just go out and buy a Mig?
I’m sure the maintenance costs are horrendous, and its difficult to get whatever type of liscense you need to go super-sonic, but if you can buy a running Mig for around $100K, why the hell not?
What does the insurance cost?
A new Cessna 172 has a base price of about $175,000. Used 172s start around $30,000 for a 1960s model and get more expensive depending on how new they are, how many hours they have, what options are on the panel, how many hours are left before the required overhaul, etc., etc., etc.
Unlike a MiG, spares are readily available. While the kerosene burner uses cheaper fuel, it burns a hell of a lot more of it than a 9 gph Cessna. You can get instruction in a Cessna in any city that has an airport. And insurance is a killer. Hell, insurance for a 40-year-old Hughes 269A helicopter would run me about $13,000/year (with the required hull insurance because it would have been financed. Liability only would have been about $3,000/year). In suring a MiG would be hidiously expensive – if a pilot could find an insurance company that would cover a pilot with average training and experience.
You wouldn’t need a special license, but you would need a type rating. And you can forget going supersonic. That requires a waiver from the FAA for each time you want to do it. (Of course, you can go offshore.)
So if you have the money to buy a Mig, and to maintain it, and to fuel it, and get trained in it, and to insure it, and to get a whole lot of training to fly it, why the hell not?
I suggest you read this post and link mentioned earlier.
The only foreign government that had F-15’s is the former Iran Shah one.
You’re confusing aircraft. Saudi Arabia, Israel and Japan have 15’s. The Tomcat was only sold to Iran.