The World’s Most Mysterious Boeing 757 Operator

If you’ve ever seen a Boeing 757 with an eerily unidentifiable livery, you might have caught a glimpse of one of Comco’s mysterious aircraft. While Comco is officially an aviation and engineering services company, much speculation exists about the operator’s true identity.

Rumors abound about the actual purpose and operator of Comco’s tiny fleet, which consists of just two Boeing 757s. Theories range from the planes being carriers for the US Department of Defense to serving as super-secret CIA prisoner transport aircraft. Information on Comco is scarce, and several suspicious incidents have lent support to theories of US government involvement.

Despite information showing that Comco may be linked with L3Harris, a major US defense contractor with possible ties to the CIA’s infamous torture flights, definitive proof remains scarce. Further, the unusual appearance and features of Comco’s 757s, such as their nondescript liveries and door padlocks, cast further intrigue on the company’s true purpose.

What is Comco?

Very little is known about the exact purpose and nature of Comco’s operations. The leading speculation is that its aircraft are operated by the United States Department of Defense (DOD).

According to its website, Comco is “an aviation and engineering services company” that specializes in providing aviation engineering testing services. The website lists its headquarters in Burbank, California, although its two aircraft are based in Nashville (BNA).

Per ch-aviation, Comco was established at the end of 2001, a date that interestingly coincides with the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Additionally, the FAA lists the owners of Comco’s two Boeing 757 aircraft as L-3 Capital, which is believed to be a subsidiary of the major US defense contractor L3Harris.

Comco’s fleet

Comco operates just two aircraft, both Boeing 757-200s. One aircraft is 31.55 years old, and the other is 25.08 years old. Both planes feature Rolls-Royce RB-211 engines, providing a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of over 255,500 pounds (115,893 kg) and an average speed of 528 mph (850 km/h).

Until 2016, the aircraft’s livery was solid white with black lettering on the vertical stabilizer, a partial black cheatline on the fuselage forward of the wing, and the lettering “Boeing 757” beneath the aft windows. Presently, Comco’s 757s’ livery is solid white, and either has the word “Comco” on the tail or displays stylized blue sweeps along the tail, fuselage, and engine cowling.

Contributing to its enigmatic nature, there is speculation that Comco’s aircraft are repainted occasionally to display military serial numbers instead of the usual civilian codes. It’s also common for Comco’s aircraft to be confused with the US Air Force’s Boeing C-32B aircraft, which are equally sparsely marked and feature a similar air of secrecy.

Related

Air Force Two: The Abilities Of USAF’s Boeing C-32 Aircraft

Looking at the unique capabilities of this VIP transport.

The mystery heightens

In addition to the nondescript livery and ambiguity surrounding the actual purpose of Comco’s 757s, several other reasons give cause to suspect classified operations. While the interior configuration of Comco’s aircraft remains a mystery, several interesting features about the two planes are widely accepted as truth.

Like many transport aircraft operated by government entities, Comco’s 757s feature self-contained airstairs. This means the airplane does not have to park at a gate to disembark passengers or need to use the main terminal.

However, passengers at various US airports have spotted Comco’s 757s pulled up to gates with jet bridges attached. This has sparked many rumors that the aircraft only use gates when the operator (Comco? The US government? The CIA?) either doesn’t want onlookers to see who or what is being unloaded or wishes for passengers to “disappear” into the crowds inside airport terminals.

An additional perplexing feature of Comco’s 757s is that the aircraft are sealed and locked with padlocks when parked and unused. Travelers at airports visited by Comco’s fleet have seen this modification on the 757s’ exit doors, noting that it is highly unusual for an aircraft of its type and size.

Related

Janet: America’s Secret Airline

Have you heard of the US Military’s secret airline?

Suspicious Comco incident in India

Not only do its aircraft liveries and special modifications cast an enigma on Comco’s purpose, but the 757s have also been involved in suspicious activity. One such notable event occurred in February 2003, when one of the Boeing aircraft flew into Indian airspace without permission.

According to Rediff, an Indian news website, the Comco 757 had the registration number N610G and was flying from Karachi, Pakistan (KHI), to Male in the Maldives (MLE). Mumbai Air Traffic Control ordered the pilots to land at Sahar Airport (BOM), and the Indian military deployed a MiG fighter to escort the 757 to the ground.

Shahnawaz Hussain, India’s civil aviation minister, spoke about the incident with Press Trust of India. According to him, the Comco aircraft violated Indian airspace by entering a flight path that was closed at that time of the day.

After landing in Mumbai at 18:11 India Standard Time (IST), Indian intelligence officials questioned the eleven US crew members for several hours. Meanwhile, customs and immigration officials investigated the aircraft in an isolated bay.

According to the crew’s and Comco’s responses, the aircraft was in the region due to a desire to start a charter company. Their excuse was that some crew members were onboard the 757 to familiarize themselves with the route and the plane’s communication and navigation systems. The plane was arranged in a cargo configuration and no details were given as to whether it was carrying a cargo load at the time.

The incident occurred only three days after a US Air Force aircraft flew 150 nautical miles (NM) east of Chennai into restricted airspace. Before the Comco 757 continued its flight to the Maldives, American Vice Consul General Michael Cole visited the crew and smoothed relations with Indian authorities.

Further strange incidents

As questions remain unanswered regarding Comco’s true identity and the purpose of their Boeing 757s, the speculations continue to swirl. While it’s generally accepted that the aircraft’s listed operator, L-3 Capital, is a subsidiary of the major US defense contractor L3Harris, additional theories have also emerged.

L-3 Integrated Systems was a US company that supplied various aircraft modernization and maintenance services for customers, including the US DOD, Department of Homeland Security, Intelligence Community, NASA, and aerospace contractors. In 2019, the company merged with Harris Corporation to form L3Harris Technologies.

In 2007, when the company was still operating under its original name, several of its aircraft were named in an inquiry by the European parliament into alleged CIA torture flights. According to Amnesty International, these CIA rendition flights are believed to be responsible for transporting passengers to foreign locations for unsanctioned interrogation and torture.

In 2009, a Gulfstream III jet named in the parliamentary inquiry landed at Birmingham Airport (BHX) in England. Per The Guardian, two British Army Air Corps Dauphin 2 helicopters met the Gulfstream on arrival.

According to a source from the UK’s Ministry of Defense, the meeting between the British forces and US aircraft was not related to the rendition of prisoners, despite the plane’s history or the speculation surrounding the UK’s complicity in legally questionable CIA operations. The government source reported to the Guardian on the incident, saying:

Despite its apparent innocent arrival in Birmingham that day, the private jet’s past cast doubt on the Defense Minister’s statement. The specific Gulfstream was known to have participated in numerous suspicious flights during its time in operation.

Reports gathered by reporters for the Guardian and various human rights organizations show that the Gulfstream participated in rendition flights between Ireland and Egypt in 2003. Further, the aircraft was involved in an accident in Romania in 2004, after which seven of its passengers from its origin (Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan) strangely disappeared.

Additionally, the jet’s arrival and departure windows raised further suspicions. The Guardian reports that the Gulfstream departed Birmingham the next day, at the same time as one of Comco’s 757s that had also arrived the day prior.

Related

5 Truly Perplexing Air Force Mysteries

From aircraft vanishing to a lieutenant colonel going “mad,” these bizarre enigmas are among the most famous unsolved episodes in aviation history.

We may never completely know Comco’s actual identity or the purpose of their two-aircraft fleet, despite years of speculation and investigation. Is Comco a front for a government organization? Are its 757s used for covert military operations? Do they carry prisoners or secret weapons? The questions continue to pour in across the internet, with few definite answers.

Like any country, the US military and government have their share of secrets that will likely remain a mystery to the general public. While many may try to investigate Comco further, the company’s level of enigma remains firm. The only clear thing is that the continued intrigue and shrouded nature of these 757s will continue to fascinate aviation and espionage enthusiasts for years to come.