The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will buy six Boeing B737 jets from military MRO specialist Daedalus Aviation under a contract valued at about USD140 million to carry out deportation flights, the Washington Post reported, citing two people familiar with the deal.

After publication of the news, Tricia McLaughlin, a DHS spokesperson, confirmed the agreement on social media, saying that “these planes will allow ICE to operate more effectively, including by using more efficient flight patterns.” She did not explain what a more efficient flight pattern entailed.

In August, it was reported that DHS secretary Kristi Noem was lobbying to use increased funding for the department to buy and operate its own fleet. This would make it easier for the government to meet its goal of deporting up to 35,000 immigrants per month. In November, it was reported that the DHS had approached Spirit Airlines with a request to purchase ten aircraft from the carrier, which is currently under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Currently, the DHS relies on aircraft chartered from commercial operators, with the flights overseen by ICE Air Operations. According to the department, the average cost of a daily scheduled charter flight is USD8,577 per flight hour. Depending on aircraft requirements, the cost of a special high-risk charter flight can range between USD6,929 and USD26,795 per flight hour. McLaughlin said that buying the new fleet “will save the US taxpayer USD279 million.”

ch-aviation reached out to Daedalus Aviation for comment, but it was not immediately available.

The Washington Post reported that the owners of Daedalus Aviation, William Allen Walters III and Taundria Cappel, are also the figures behind Salus Worldwide Solutions Corporation, a fairly new company with no federal contracting experience, which was awarded a USD915 million deportation contract in 2025. This sparked criticism and a lawsuit from rival CSI Aviation Services, which alleged the deal was “unlawful, rushed, and non-competitive.”

Daedalus Aviation does not hold an active Part 135 or Part 121 certificate, ch-aviation research reveals. Salus Worldwide Solutions operates a fleet of one B737-8(BBJ) and one G650.