Impact of Foreign Ownership on the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (Maxwell Paper, Number 42)
Abstract
Since the beginning of manned flight, the movement of personnel and equipment by air has been critical to U.S. national security. This realization led to the establishment of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) in 1951 to augment the military airlift fleet in times of national emergency. In the 56 years following its inception, the CRAF has proven itself numerous times as a critical enabler to U.S. military strategy. Recent changes within the military and trends toward a globalized economy have placed the Department of Defense and U.S. airlines on diverging paths. The purpose of this paper is to examine these changes and their possible impact on U.S. national security. Following a basic overview of the CRAF and its criticality, the paper examines the conflict of interest between the national economy and national security regarding the push to liberalize airline ownership and control. The paper concludes by examining possible options and recommendations that help address these concerns to ensure that the CRAF program remains a viable and integral part of the U.S. military capability.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA482220
Entities
People
- Donald M. Schauber Jr.
Organizations
- Air War College