How US Legacy Carriers Fly For The Pentagon: The Civil Reserve Air Fleet Explained
US carriers like United, Delta, American, and others offer a massive surge capacity boost in the event of emergencies.
By Aaron SprayZimbabwe
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In the event of a conflict, the United States can call on its massive Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) to support efforts. This includes airliners from all of the major legacy US airlines. These are contractually obligated to support the United States Department of Defense airlift needs if required. The CRAF was founded by the Defense Production Act of 1950, which gave POTUS broad authorities for prioritization and allocation of industrial base resources, including commercial airliners.
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About this article
- Length
- 76 words · 1 min read
- Published
- October 17, 2026
- Byline
- Aaron Spray
- Source
- Simple Flying