Since many of you have airline customers based in the EU, you may find it interesting that in the future you’ll be supplying parts to airlines participating in Europe’s nascent Civilian Airlift Reserve.
For a background on this concept, read a previous article I wrote called “Masters of Logistics: USTRANSCOM & the Civil Reserve Air Fleet” which contains an introduction to the model. Here’s the link:
https://www.aviationsuppliers.org/masters-of-logistics-ustranscom-the-civil-reserve-air-fleet
US and EU governments frequently charter airliners for varying purposes including:
- Movement of troops
- Movement of cargo
- Evacuation of citizens from troubled locations
- Refugee evacuations
- Repatriation flights
Charter flights for these purposes are quite routine but can be limited by the availability of airliners. For example, charters during the heavily traveled summer season are going to be predictably challenged because every available airliner is pressed into service to satisfy passenger demand. If, during the summer a real-world military or governmental emergency should arise on short notice, as they often do, timely responses could be hampered by shortages. It is this type of scenario which long ago gave rise to the US’s Civil Reserve Air Fleet, CRAF, to guarantee the availability of aircraft for contingency requirements.
Recently the unfortunate prospect of global and regional conflicts which could affect the EU has given rise to the concept being instituted there to supplement existing and future military airlift assets with additional surge capacity. According to Michael Sylla, the European Defense Agency’s (EDA) project officer for air transport, Europe faces a “strategic airlift gap”1, thus the emergence of the concept. In May of 2026 the EDA launched a nine-month study to assess operational demand and identify capability gaps according to Sylla. The study will include consultations with leasers, airlines, and cargo carriers. The idea would be that European Airlines would provide aircraft and crews for rapid airlift missions, thereby reducing the need for governments to invest in more military transport fleets.
Historically, individual countries can and continue to press their national flag carriers into service when needed, if they have such carriers. The EU, however, consists of many countries so they are presented with a unique set of circumstances with their own Civil Airlift Reserve concept. One of the challenges the EDA study will have to examine is how do you incentivize air carriers to participate? Of course, those carriers will have to be properly compensated but they already have this with the charters. An interesting idea used by the US’ CRAF program is that participants enjoy preferential status for the rewarding of charters and government employee passenger reservations for frequently traveled routes.
Another EU-unique challenge is how or who will administer the program for the EDA? As described in my previous article, the CRAF program is run by USTRANSCOM. In the EU it appears that a logical early suggestion to fill this role may be the European Air Transport Command based in the Netherlands. Currently this planning cell is responsible for operational control over the air transport and aerial refueling aircraft of seven European air forces.
Another EU-unique hurdle regarding implementation will be the regulatory landscape. No doubt the EDA study will identify this legislative requirement as part of the overall plan.
It would be interesting to end this article with a look at the current state of the US CRAF fleet: 24 carriers and 553 aircraft are enrolled in CRAF. This includes 517 aircraft in the international segment with 391 in the long-range international section and 126 in the short-range international section. There are 36 aircraft in the national segment. These numbers are subject to change on a monthly basis.2
According to the Air Force there are three stages of incremental activation to allow for tailoring an airlift force suitable for the contingency at hand.
- Stage I is for minor regional crises and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief (HADR) efforts,
- Stage II would be used for major theater war and
- Stage III for periods of national mobilization.
The EDA model is likely to be some variation of this.
Over ‘n out
Roy ‘Royboy’ Resto
Written without the use of AI
1 – Europe Weighs Civilian Airlift Reserve To Speed Military Deployments; Aviation Week & Space Technology; February 9—22, 2026; Page 41.
2 - https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104583/civil-reserve-air-fleet/
