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CRAF Stage 1 to deactivate

Air Mobility Command

Release Date: 6/11/2003

Courtesy U.S. Transportation Command

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AMCNS) - Gen. John W. Handy, commander, U.S. Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command, has determined that continuation of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet call up is not required. CRAF carriers have been notified that passenger aircraft called up to support Operation Iraqi Freedom will be released June 18.

The passenger airlift requirements for OIF can now be met through air carrier volunteers through normal contract procedures.

General Handy activated CRAF Stage 1 on Feb. 8 to provide the Department of Defense with additional airlift to move U.S. troops during the buildup of U.S. forces in the Arabian Gulf region. CRAF aircraft are U.S. commercial passenger and cargo aircraft activated when DOD's airlift requirements exceed the capability of U.S. military aircraft.

General Handy said, "Even before we activated CRAF, our commercial carriers volunteered their tremendous capability to airlift troops and cargo for DOD. We are thankful to these airlines that have played a major role in supporting U.S. military forces in Operation Iraqi Freedom. We simply could not have met the massive, fast-paced demands of our troop deployment without the dedication and determination of the men and women of CRAF."

From Feb. 8 through June 2, 11 CRAF carriers flew more than 1,625 missions and airlifted over 254,143 troops to destinations around the world, the majority of those missions going to the Middle East.

The commercial air carriers involved in the CRAF activation are: American Airlines, ATA Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Hawaiian airlines, North American Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Omni Air International, United airlines, US Airways and World Airways.

The activation of the CRAF in support of OIF marked only the second time in history commercial air carriers have been called up to augment Air Force air mobility missions. The CRAF is based on an arrangement dating from 1951 in which commercial airlines agreed to make aircraft available for DOD deployments in exchange for peacetime military business.