For just the third time in history, the US Department of Defense has activated the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) to assist with the transportation of evacuees and refugees from Afghanistan. The CRAF aircraft will not fly to Kabul, but will carry passengers from bases in the Middle East to Europe and the United States.

Civil Reserve Air Fleet aircraft

The US Department of Defense has activated 18 aircraft from six airlines to participate in operation, likely to last a few weeks. Airlines required to provide aircraft include: American Airlines (3), Atlas Air (3), Delta Air Lines (3), Hawaiian Airlines (2), Omni Air International (3), and United Airlines (4).

The list below will be updated as additional information becomes available about the specific aircraft allocated by each airline to the CRAF mission.

What is the Civil Reserve Air Fleet?

The Civil Reserve Air Fleet was established in 1951 following the Berlin Airlift, when the United States determined it needed supplemental airlift capabilities and those needs could be met by civilian aircraft. In its current form, it is a voluntary program that US airlines can join. They pledge to make aircraft and crews available on short notice to the US military under the US Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM). In exchange, those airlines are given preference for carrying peacetime cargo and passenger traffic for the Department of Defense. The CRAF has been activated twice before, in 1990-1991 during the first Gulf War and again in 2002-2003 during the build up to the Iraq War.