A Boeing 737 Business Jet (BBJ) with a luxurious interior and a paint scheme mirroring a Donald Trump-era “Air Force One” design has emerged as an asset of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The aircraft’s appearance coincides with a known $140 million contract for six 737s for deportation flights, raising questions about the need for and purpose of a high-end VVIP transport within the department.
A mysterious, opulently appointed Boeing 737 is now flying with the seal of the Department of Homeland Security in its cabin, its exterior painted in a red, white, and blue livery once selected by former President Donald Trump for the next-generation Air Force One fleet. The jet, bearing the U.S. registration N471US and nicknamed “Independence,” was photographed at Washington’s Reagan National Airport before embarking on a flight to the Middle East, closely shadowed by the U.S. Coast Guard’s VIP transport. Its emergence, reported by The War Zone (TWZ), creates an immediate puzzle: Is this a necessary tool for secure leadership travel, or a luxurious excess?
The aircraft is a 737-8 BBJ, a variant known for custom, high-end interiors. According to a sales brochure from Avjet Global, this specific jet boasts a “5 zone VVIP cabin configuration” designed for 17 passengers, featuring suites with full-size beds and a master bathroom with a shower. FAA records show it is registered to Valkyrie Aviation Holding Group, LLC, a company with an address in Arlington, Virginia. Its connection to DHS became clear when photographs revealed a large departmental seal mounted inside the main cabin.
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This development follows news that DHS recently signed a $140 million contract with a company called Daedalus Aviation to purchase six 737s explicitly to support U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation efforts. However, the lavish configuration of N471US appears entirely unsuited for that mission. “What connection Daedalus Aviation may or may not have to Valkyrie Aviation is unknown,” noted The War Zone, highlighting the opaque nature of the arrangement.
The jet’s flight patterns suggest it is being prepared for a VIP transport role. After undergoing work in Oklahoma and Louisiana, it conducted local flights likely for testing and crew training before flying to Joint Base Andrews—home to the presidential fleet—and then to the Washington, D.C. area. On December 14, it departed alongside the Coast Guard’s C-37B jet, making stops in Crete and Jordan before continuing to Abu Dhabi, mirroring the Coast Guard’s route precisely. The Coast Guard’s jet is a designated Long Range Command and Control Aircraft (LRCCA) used to transport the Secretary of Homeland Security and other senior leaders.
DHS leadership has a documented need for secure, reliable air transport with specialized communications for continuity-of-government purposes. The department has faced recent scrutiny over plans to spend between $170 and $200 million to replace the Coast Guard’s two older Gulfstream jets with new Gulfstream 700-series aircraft. The appearance of this third, even larger VIP jet—a 737 BBJ—was not previously disclosed and could ignite further criticism.
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“Overall, observers have already pointed out that N471US looks to have a configuration ill-suited to conducting deportation flights,” The War Zone reported. The aircraft’s luxurious amenities and low flight time (672 total hours) indicate it was purchased as a ready-made VIP transport, not converted for rugged deportation missions. Its striking exterior, which mimics the Trump-proposed Air Force One livery that President Biden later canceled, adds a layer of political symbolism to the practical questions.
While the federal government commonly uses contractor-owned aircraft for official travel, the combination of the jet’s opulence, its covert acquisition, and its timing amid controversial immigration enforcement spending creates a potent mix of operational and ethical questions. DHS did not respond to requests for comment from The War Zone. As N471US continues its overseas journey, the mystery deepens: what is the true mission of the DHS “Independence,” and why does a department focused on border security and deportation need a flying five-star hotel?
