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Civil Reserve Air Fleet 

Overview

Participants Sources and Resources

 

The Civil Reserve Air Fleet is made up of US civil air carriers who are committed by contract to provid-ing operating and support personnel for DOD. The CRAF program is designed to quickly mobilize our nation’s airlift resources to meet DOD force projec-tion requirements. CRAF airlift services are divided into four operational segments:

  • Long-range international-strategic intertheater operations.
  • Short-range international theater operations.
  • Domestic CONUS-DOD supply distribution.
  • Alaskan-Aerospace Defense Command support.
The CRAF airlift capability can be activated in three stages. These stages are as follows:
  • Stage I. Stage I may be activated by the USCINCTRANSCOM,1 to perform airlift services when the AMC airlift force cannot meet simultaneously both deployment and other traffic requirements.
  • Stage II. Stage II is an additional airlift expansion identified for an airlift emergency which does not warrant national mobilization but may be activated by authority of the SECDEF.
  • Stage III. Stage III makes available the total CRAF airlift capability when required for DOD operations during major military emergencies involving US Forces. The SECDEF issues the order to activate CRAF stage III only after a national emergency has been declared by the President or Congress.
CRAF was activated for the first time in its history on 17 August 1990 when stage I aircraft were called up in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. Despite a few minor problems, which have since been addressed, the activation of the CRAF was very successful. Commercial airlines are motivated to participate in the CRAF program in part by the opportunity to compete for DoD peacetime business. In the past several years, the volume of that available business base has been expanded by over a billion dollars. That was a strong factor in overcoming resistance to CRAF participation in the wake of the Gulf War. The possibility of opening up the DoD small package business to commercial carriers--another $200-$400 million--is now also being considered. Military airfields are being opened to CRAF carriers for operations and bad weather alternates as additional incentives for CRAF participation. Boeing B747. The Boeing B747 is a wide-body aircraft. The cargo-carrying versions have a plan-ning cargo weight of about 180,000 pounds. The main deck can hold either 32 to 36 military or 28 commer-cial pallets. The passenger version carries about 364 passengers (only 237 on the B747SP). Douglas DC-10 and Lockheed L-1011. The Douglas DC-10 and Lockheed L-1011 are wide-body aircraft. The cargo-carrying version of the DC-10 has an average cargo weight of about 120,000 pounds. The main deck can hold either 30 military or 22 commercial pallets. The passenger version of the DC-10 can carry about 242 passengers. The L-1011 passenger version has a capacity of 246 to 330 seats. Douglas DC-8 and Boeing B707. The Douglas DC-8 and Boeing B707 are narrow-body aircraft. The DC-8 cargo version has a planning cargo weight that varies from 52,000 to 82,000 pounds. The main deck accommodates 14 to 18 pallets, depending on the aircraft series. The cargo version of the B707 has a planning cargo weight of about 60,000 pounds, and the main deck can carry 13 military or commercial pallets. The passenger DC-8 carries 165 to 219 passengers, and the B707, approximately 165 passengers. CRAF aircraft are neither designed nor intended to carry litter patients.  Return to Top

PARTICIPANTS  Return to Top

The following air carriers are members of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet for Fiscal Year 1997:

Long-Range International Section Short-Range International Section Aeromedical Evacuation Domestic Section Alaskan Section
Air Transport International Alaska Airlines Delta Airlines America West Express Alaska Airlines
American International Airways American Trans Air Trans World Airlines Reno Air Northern Air Cargo
American Airlines Carnival Airlines USAir Southwest Airlines  
American Trans Air Continental Airlines      
Atlas Air DHL Airways      
Burlington Air Express Evergreen International Airlines      
Continental Airlines Miami Air International      
Delta Airlines North American Airlines      
DHL Airways Omni Air Express      
Emery Worldwide Southern Air Transport      
Evergreen International Airlines Sun Country Airlines      
Federal Express Airlines USAir Shuttle      
Fine Airlines        
North American Airlines        
Northwest Airlines        
Polar Air Cargo        
Southern Air Transport        
Sun Country Airlines        
Tower Air        
Trans Continental Airlines        
Trans World Airlines        
United Airlines        
United Parcel Service        
World Airways        
Zantop International Airlines        

Sources and Resources  Return to Top

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