The Civil Reserve Air Fleet: An Effective Program To Meet Defense Emergency Airlift Requirements

The Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) program is designed to provide the Department of Defense (DOD) with commercial aircraft to augment military airlift during peacetime and wartime emergencies. CRAF is composed of civil air carriers that contract not only their aircraft but also their operating and support personnel and facilities. The program is economically feasible because it provides DOD with emergency airlift capability without buying the aircraft, paying personnel costs, or flying and maintaining aircraft during peacetime.