American buys 46 F/A-18 Hornets from Australia

[Dungannon]

what a business to be in!

This Man Owns The World's Most Advanced Private Air Force After Buying 46 F/A-18 Hornets

We talked to the owner of Air USA about probably the most incredible private aircraft purchase of all time and the future of his adversary business.

www.thedrive.com

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[CoastRange57]

Interesting article, and that would be fun.

But that blogsite is one of the most annoying I have viewed in quite some time.

 

[GWS]

Further proof that it is great to be rich.

Jacque Littlefield and his tank collection comes to mind.

 

[No_Regerts]

Money may not buy happiness, but it sure makes a big down payment.

In all reality, if I was rich, I don't think I'd even buy 46 guns or fishing rods.

 

[USMC1911]

Who says you would have no chance against the government.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Just wait until American trusts or "corporation" towns acquire fleets of MiGs and Sukhois and Jengdu/Chengdu fighters and bombers as well as tanks of all sorts...

 

[mkwerx]

Hmm, $200 a pop extra for every bomb, or missile to arm them up is a drop in the bucket. Don't the average munitions they carry run something like $100k to $500k a pop? The bubblegum of it is the long wait times for NFA approval seems quicker to e- file form 1s and assemble them himself...

 

[CamoDeafie]

Hmm, $200 a pop extra for every bomb, or missile to arm them up is a drop in the bucket. Don't the average munitions they carry run something like $100k to $500k a pop? The bubblegum of it is the long wait times for NFA approval seems quicker to e- file form 1s and assemble them himself...

Again, trusts Sure would be nice if NFA Trusts or certain groups could get in onto that Pentagon 1033 program to acquire certain vehicles.. I know GSA sold some demilitarized AH-1 Cobras to a fire fighting group for fire scout duties with IR scanners and comm equipment?

Edit. Yeah some AH-1Fs converted for US Forest Service's Fire watch duties

Bell Ah-1 firesnake

Manufacturer Bell Helicopters, Fort Worth, Texas Crew Pilot and Air Tactical Group Supervisor Acquired by USFS Original Owner In 2003, the U.S. Forest

www.koldsmoke.com

 

[JRuby]

Some how a bump stock ban seems a lot more ridicule's to me if with enough money you can buy frontline fighters.

 

[mkwerx]

Some how a bump stock ban seems a lot more ridicule's to me if with enough money you can buy frontline fighters.

The entire NFA is stupid. You can buy a tank, a fighter jet, an attack helicopter... but you can't chop your shotgun barrel down, or put a foregrip on your pistol, or have a machine gun without a permission slip and a stupid amount of money.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Some how a bump stock ban seems a lot more ridicule's to me if with enough money you can buy frontline fighters.

The F/A-18A/B models are not current "frontline" fighters, having been superseded by the C/D models which can shoot AIM-120 AMRAAMs, AGM-65 Mavericks, and AGM-84 Harpoon.. also, newer radar and communication and jammer systems are better on the C/D models.

 

[JRuby]

The F/A-18A/B models are not current "frontline" fighters, having been superseded by the C/D models which can shoot AIM-120 AMRAAMs, AGM-65 Mavericks, and AGM-84 Harpoon.. also, newer radar and communication and jammer systems are better on the C/D models.

Close enough for me - considering a civilian owns these.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Close enough for me - considering a civilian owns these.

When a civilian company owns F-117s and F-22s and the upcoming F-35s, then I'd say yeah frontline fighter/bombers

 

[mkwerx]

Even if they were F4s and A6's - it'd still be superior to many nation's "air forces" and to a point, the F18 in any configuration even the early models still offers superiority over most other nations fighters. It would also have a lot of "Indian, not he Arrow" connotations. A good pilot in an older aircraft will have better odds than a turd in the shinest, newest, bestest fighter.

 

[CamoDeafie]

We should be able to acquire M60A3s and M1 Abrams with the 105mm cannons...

And unmodified or not demilitarized Hummvees, complete with the roof turret rings.

That said... its interesting to note that the civilian company in question... bought them from Australia not from the Pentagon

Again, the Pentagon should expand the 1033 program so that other people, not just civilian Law Enforcement agencies can acquire surplus American equipment, vehicles and aircraft.

 

[CamoDeafie]

civilian agencies can acquire MRAP armored vehicles and M-ATVs, other wheeled armored vehicles (V-150 in LAPD use..) free of charge from the Pentagon's 1033 program, as well as current body armor plates, weaponry (usually flash, tear gas, smoke grenades in addition to M4 carbines).

So, complaining or being surprised that a civilian can get surplus fighter jets and tanks ring a bit hollow when the police departments have been freely getting surplus vehicles from the Pentagon...

 

[JRuby]

civilian agencies can acquire MRAP armored vehicles and M-ATVs, other wheeled armored vehicles (V-150 in LAPD use..) free of charge from the Pentagon's 1033 program, as well as current body armor plates, weaponry (usually flash, tear gas, smoke grenades in addition to M4 carbines).

So, complaining or being surprised that a civilian can get surplus fighter jets and tanks ring a bit hollow when the police departments have been freely getting surplus vehicles from the Pentagon...

Saying the police department has them is different than a civilian individual, this is not the same in my opinion.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Saying the police department has them is different than a civilian individual, this is not the same in my opinion.

They're both civilian
Ya know.. the companies who buys the fighter aircraft, usually hire vets who are already trained on them?

 

[JRuby]

They're both civilian
Ya know.. the companies who buys the fighter aircraft, usually hire vets who are already trained on them?

Still an agency versus an individual - apparently the difference is not clear or is being ignored.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Still an agency versus an individual - apparently the difference is not clear or is being ignored.

Air USA firm is an individual?

U.S. private contractor buys 46 Australian retired F/A-18 Hornet fighters

Australian Government Department of Defense has reported that U.S. private contractor Air USA is buying up to 46 F/A-18 Hornet fighter aircraft. “Workers at RAAF Base Williamtown will service and prepare up to 46 retired F/A-18 Classic Hornet aircraft that will be sold to air combat training...

defence-blog.com

Granted, the article in OP says he technically owns them, since he owns the company that bought them... and it is not a publicly traded company.

Its very similar to agencies. The agents don't own the vehicles.or gear, the agency does

The company Air USA owns the aircraft, yes. That the owner of the business is a civilian seems bothersome to you?

Anyways. Yeah, repeal NFA when you've got private companies who holds a bunch of ATF required licenses to outfit the equipment.... right. Like That's gonna happen...