USAF Gulfstream C-37B Serial 18-1942 VIP Visit to Curaçao Linked to US SOUTHCOM
USAF Gulfstream C-37B serial 18-1942, operating under the callsign SAM 804, made an overnight VIP visit to Curaçao on February 4th 2025, arriving from Miami International Airport (MIA/KMIA) before departing the following day for Joint Base Andrews (ADW/KADW) in Maryland.
The SAM callsign prefix, standing for Special Air Mission, is reserved for USAF aircraft transporting senior government and military officials, making any SAM-coded flight a subject of considerable interest among military aviation watchers. The routing from Miami to Curaçao and back to Andrews is consistent with a US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) related mission, though the identity of the passenger or passengers was never publicly confirmed.
The C-37B is the military designation for the Gulfstream G550, first delivered to the USAF in 2004. Based on the proven G550 airframe, it adds directional infrared countermeasures capability for self-defence and the advanced Honeywell PlaneView flight deck to the standard business jet configuration. All five USAF C-37Bs are based at Joint Base Andrews, where they serve the 89th Airlift Wing's Special Air Mission fleet transporting senior Department of Defense officials worldwide. With a range of over 6,750 nautical miles and a maximum speed of Mach 0.885, the C-37B is one of the most capable VIP transport aircraft in the US military inventory.
