US-based pilot and billionaire Jared Isaacman, the founder of Draken International, has announced that he is adding two more airworthy MiG-29s to his private collection.
Isaacman currently operates the only civilian MiG-29 in North America – a twin-seat MiG-29UB training variant – but he now says he is in the process of adding two more to the fleet, in addition to a Tornado F.2A which was revealed in July.
He wrote: “We have got an exciting Cold War program underway, including the restoration of two additional MiG-29UBs & a special Tornado F2 TIARA. The MiGs will receive our signature ‘ghost camo’ paint scheme but the Tornado will honor the RAF and the Battle of Britain. While I’m no longer involved in the adversary air game, preserving aviation history is important. These jets will eventually play a role in TPS work, R&D and continue to inspire many at airshows.”
The announcement prompted some criticism that the MiGs could be put to better use by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Isaacman implied that Ukrainian businesses are involved in his restoration effort, saying that “they provide a lot of support. We have a great relationship with Ukraine and they welcome the commercial work.”
The Tornado and MiGs will join Isaacman’s already-impressive private air force, which includes L-39C Albatrosses, Alpha Jet As and the current single MiG-29UB. The fleet is used for the Polaris Dawn astronaut training programme and also performed briefly at airshows under the name “Ghost Squadron”, but the team has been inactive since a mid-air collision during only their second full airshow appearance earlier this year. Nobody was hurt in the crash.