DHS under fire for $172M Gulfstream G700 jet purchase amid shutdown

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has awarded a contract worth approximately $172 million to acquire two Gulfstream G700 business jets amid an ongoing partial federal government shutdown, a move that has drawn criticism from lawmakers and raised questions about spending priorities.

According to a statement from the House Appropriations Committee’s Democratic members issued on October 18, 2025, the contract was signed through the US Coast Guard (USCG) for the Long Range Command and Control Aircraft (LRCCA) program, which provides executive air transport and secure communications for senior DHS leadership, including Secretary Kristi Noem.

The committee said the deal was approved “behind closed doors” and that the total value could reach $200 million, depending on configuration and support costs.

“While the federal government is shut down and thousands of DHS employees are without pay, Secretary Noem has chosen to spend hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on luxury aircraft,” the lawmakers wrote.

US Coast Guard defends the acquisition

In a separate statement issued the same day, the US Coast Guard defended the decision, describing the purchase as part of a fleet recapitalization effort to replace aircraft that are more than 20 years old and experiencing increasing maintenance downtime.

“The timing of this investment underscores the Coast Guard’s vital need to modernize its command and control capabilities to meet today’s rapidly evolving operational demands,” said Admiral Kevin Lunday, the service’s Acting Commandant. “Maintaining reliable air mobility is essential to ensuring continuity of operations and mission success.”

According to the Coast Guard, its current long-range command and control aircraft has logged over 30 days of unplanned maintenance in 2025, with multiple missions cancelled as a result.

Congressional oversight committees are expected to review the procurement documents in the coming weeks.

DHS has defended the purchase, saying it replaces an ageing Gulfstream G550 that has exceeded its service life and is necessary for global operations.

“Ensuring the safety and rapid mobility of department leadership is essential to maintaining national security readiness,” a DHS statement explained in May 2025, when news of the acquisition first emerged.

Timing and cost draw criticism

The acquisition comes as DHS and other agencies operate under shutdown restrictions. Lawmakers have questioned both the timing and procurement process, noting that the US Coast Guard had earlier sought around $50 million for a single replacement jet before the requirement expanded to two G700s worth more than triple that amount.

The House Appropriations Committee said it has requested full documentation on the contract, including justification for bypassing competitive tendering and clarification of the funding source. The panel has asked DHS to provide answers by October 30, 2025.

Critics say the optics of new luxury aircraft at a time when Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) employees face pay uncertainty risk damaging morale within the department.

The Gulfstream G700 aircraft

Certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 2024, the Gulfstream G700 is the company’s flagship ultra-long-range business jet. It is powered by Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines, capable of flying 7,750 nautical miles (14,350 km), and features a fly-by-wire cockpit and advanced avionics.

The G700’s cabin can be configured with up to five living zones, including conference and rest areas. While the commercial version targets corporate operators, government variants can include encrypted communications and command-and-control systems for strategic mobility missions.

Gulfstream Aerospace, a subsidiary of General Dynamics, has not commented publicly on the DHS contract.The post DHS under fire for $172M Gulfstream G700 jet purchase amid shutdown appeared first on AeroTime.

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