AIT's Civil Reserve Air Fleet Partnership Delivers Enhanced Government Transport

Established in 1951, CRAF is a readiness program used to provide a significant portion of the nation’s air mobility resources when the Department of Defense (DOD) airlift exceeds the capability of military aircraft.

This cooperative, voluntary program also involves the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. civil air carrier industry in a partnership to augment DOD aircraft capability during a national defense related crisis.

Air carriers volunteer their aircraft to the CRAF program through contractual agreements with the air mobility command (AMC) and in return, participating companies are given preference in carrying commercial peacetime cargo and passenger traffic for DOD.

CRAF-sponsored forwarders must always be ready to support the logistical transport needs of the U.S. government, including adherence to stringent governmental compliance. As a CRAF-sponsored forwarder, AIT makes use of our enhanced capabilities to transport mission-critical commodities around the world.

AIT has been a CRAF-sponsored forwarder for more than a decade. Most recently, the company entered into a CRAF partnership with Kalitta Airlines.

AIT’s dedicated team of global, government shipping experts goes beyond the call of duty to provide custom-built supply chain solutions that adhere to strict government supply chain security.

In addition to AIT’s CRAF partnership, the company is also member of the Transport Asset Protection Association (TAPA), a certified Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism compliant provider and a sustaining member of the National Defense Transportation Association (NDTA).

A U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA)-certified Indirect Air Carrier, we maintain TSA-certified cargo screening facilities in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. And, when required, we offer explosive trace detection, physical search and use of TSA canines.

Some of our many capabilities include: 

• Dedicated government personnel
• 24/7 emergency service
• Standard carrier alpha code approval
• Coverage across the continental United States (CONUS) as well as outside the continental United States (OCONUS)