Civil Reserve Air Fleet: Trends and Selected Issues

摘要

This research analyzes selected issues affecting Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF)capability to augment U.S. organic military airlift in future crises. The report provides background on the U.S. airline industry's different interest groups, concerns arising from Persian Gulf War experiences, and financial troubles during the early 1990s. The report examines recent participation fluctuations in CRAFs long-range international section, methods for awarding government air transportation business, government methods for compensating airlines, and potential economic impact of CRAF activation. The report suggests alternative approaches for awarding government air transportation business, compensating airlines, and enhancing CRAF cargo capability. Suggestions include eliminating uniform compensation rates in favor of individually negotiated rates or making uniform rates more representative of costs of all CRAF member airlines. Suggestions also include proposals to counteract perceptions that CRAF member airlines winning General Services Administration contracts gain disproportionate financial benefits. These alternative approaches allow Air Mobility Command to balance the need to maintain robust wartime commercial augmentation capability with the need to furnish Department of Defense customers with low-cost peacetime commercial airlift.