In an effort to speed up evacuation efforts in Afghanistan, the U.S. Department of Defense has activated its Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF), a 70-year old program used to enlist the aid of commercial airlines in the case of a “major national defense emergency.”
Pentagon Activates CRAF, Will Utilize 18 Aircraft From Six U.S. Airlines For Afghanistan Evacuation
With thousands of Americans and Afghans attempting to flee Afghanistan as the Taliban reassert control, a massive Kabul Airlift has begun.
What is CRAF?
Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) is a Department of Defense program dating back to the early days of the Cold War, specifically the 1948 Berlin Airlift, in which commercial airlines are enlisted to provide a back-up to military airlines.
This marks the third time CRAF has been activated, with previously uses in the two Iraq wars:
- 1991 – Operation Desert Storm (1st Gulf War)
- 2004 – Operation Iraqi Freedom (2nd Gulf War)
While U.S. commercial airlines will not fly into Kabul (KBL), they will fly into either Bahrain or Qatar to transport U.S. citizens and refugees onward.
Which Airlines Are Part Of CRAF?
The CRAF activation is for 18 aircraft, including:
- American Airlines – 3 aircraft
- Atlas Air – 3 aircraft
- Delta Air Lines – 3 aircraft
- Omni Air – 3 aircraft
- Hawaiian Airlines – 2 aircraft
- United Airlines – 4 aircraft
United’s first CRAF already departed, UA2586, traveling from Frankfurt Hahn (HHN) to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar (XJD) on a Boeing 777-300ER (N2352U).
It then returned from Al Udeid to Ramstein Air Base (RMS) in Germany operating under UA2579
On Tuesday, UA2586 will again operate from Chicago O’Hare (ORD) to Ramstein.
Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines sent an Airbus A350-900 into Frankfurt from Detroit last night, operating under DL8822. Today, DL8822 will operate from Washington Dulles (IAD) to Ramstein and then continue to Dubai World Center (DWC).
Was CRAF Really Necessary?
Some Republicans have asserted this is a political bluff meant to downplay the gross incompetence of the Biden Administration in ceding control over Afghanistan so rapidly to the Taliban and failing to even ensure safe passage to the airport. They assert that the airlines were already able, willing, and preparing to operate these missions (unlike during the Gulf Wars) and thus commandeering these aircraft by activating CRAF was nothing more than a political stunt.
But Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said:
“CRAF activation provides the Department of Defense access to commercial air mobility resources to augment our support to the Department of State in the evacuation of U.S. citizens and personnel, Special Immigrant Visa applicants, and other at-risk individuals from Afghanistan.”
United Airlines added:
“We embrace the responsibility to quickly respond to international challenges like these and use our expertise to ensure the safe passage of our fellow countrymen and women as well as those who have risked their lives to help keep them safe.”
American, Delta, and United say impact on commercial passenger operations will be minimal.
CONCLUSION
18 airliners from six U.S. airlines will be aiding in evacuation efforts of U.S. citizens and refugees from Afghanistan. Operations have already commenced, with these airlines transporting passengers from U.S. bases in the Gulf region, rather than directly from Afghanistan.
image: Airbus
After seeing photos of all the folks heavily crowded in the back of c17 from Kabul, one has to ask if these passengers coming out of Afghanistan and being sent around the world were vaccinated or tested for COVID. The question is relevant because Afghanistan had about 200,000 cases of COVID and vaccination assistance was promised by the end of this year, making it unlikely that their current vaccination rate was very high. Has Biden just created the mother of all super spreader events with global ramifications?
It’s been widely reported that in order to expedite these people out of Afghanistan, and because of over crowded conditions in Qatar and Bahrain, the evacuees are being waived from normal health screenings to get them into the U.S. as soon as possible. However…..upon landing in each location within the U.S. they then undergo health screening, testing, and are offered a vaccination. The same is being done for those entering the U.K.
An example is a large group that landed at IAD on Saturday and were transported under guard to a local Northern Virginia Community College where beds were set up and health screenings were undertaken. At that point they were then released the next day to local family members or hosts.
Apparently it’s only a Delta variant super spreader event if it involves Trump supporters, or so the mainstream media would have you believe. Agree that those entering the U.S. from this disaster or on the disaster that is the southern boarder need to be tested and vaxed as necessary as a condition of entry. Right Mr. President?
Haven’t you heard, according to UA-NYC only unvaccinated, white male southern Trump voters can ever possibly spread the Delta COVID. POC and refugees cannot possibly spread the virus, because science.
Right, I’m sure the Afghans coming in will be a superspreader event, just like all the Mexican refugees coming right over and through the Mexico/Florida border and causing the spike there…sure sure.
Hope the flight crews are totally vaccinated. It is crazy to do this in my opinion. If I was an FA I would refuse the flight.
Having taken a CRAF flight (UA 777) from Ft. Bragg to Kuwait for my second deployment, I will tell you a few ultra cool things. First of all, the crew are all volunteers. They were very amused by us trying to find space for our long guns since these are normally the last thing you want on a plane. I woke up when we started flying over Iraq and noticed the cockpit door open. I made the excuse of having to use the toilet and peered in. The pilots saw me and invited me to sit in the jump seat where I proceeded to point out to them the various Iraqi cities. They said they did not need to follow FAA rules on this flight which was why I was allowed in. I’ll never forget that experience.
Who sat in the premium seats? Was it based on rank?
It was based on unit. Fortunately, my unit got on first so we took up most of the F cabin. Nothing had been changed from the normal UA config so there were First, Business, and coach sections. While some service members got stuck in coach, we made sure they got a whole row to themselves.
Omni Air – never heard of it. Isn’t Atlas primarily cargo? Just curious…
Glad to see the commercial airlines assisting; although I’m sure appropriately compensated!
Well, CRAF is a voluntary thing. The airlines mentioned knew that they might be called up and I’m glad that they’ll be saving lives by providing the services promised. Thanks for providing the details. It’s geeky but I find them interesting.
in an interview today with a reporter flown out on a c17, word is that all are covid tested on arrival in Qatar.