The U.S. Air Force has initiated the search for a new contractor to operate the fleet of 737-600 aircraft. This small group of aircraft is popularly known as “JANET” (Just Another Non-Existent Terminal), complemented by five Beechcraft King Air.
JANET is the center of countless conspiracy stories revolving around Area 51, linked to the existence of extraterrestrial aircraft. But truth be told, these 737-600s are used to transport USAF personnel to extremely secret locations somewhere in the deserts of Nevada and California.
On December 14 and 15, the USAF will organize an industry day to solicit bids for the management of the JANET fleet. The contractor will cover operations daily, seven days a week, at four locations within an approximate 300-mile radius, according to the Air Force, in addition to providing maintenance to the fleet.
“The government needs safe and reliable air transport between various points on the continental United States. This critical operation must be considered a ‘fail-safe’ mission,” stated the Air Force in a statement issued on November 7th.
In the call for proposals, the Air Force provides details on the pace at which Janet planes will operate based at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas (LAS), also known as Station 9. The government will require up to 190 weekly departures, although this rate will rarely increase to 200 with prior coordination.
The USAF has conducted 9,000 flights in recent years, transporting up to 490,000 passengers annually. The Janet mission was long operated by EG&G, which has since been acquired by URS Corp. and AECOM.
