White House preparing to activate Civil Reserve Air Fleet for Kabul airlift out of Afghanistan: report

President Joe Biden's administration is "planning a dramatic ramp-up of its airlift from Kabul" by preparing to compel U.S airlines to help transport Afghan refugees, The Wall Street Journalreported Saturday.

"The White House is expected to consider activating the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, or CRAF, created in 1952 in the wake of the post-World War II Berlin Airlift, to provide nearly 20 commercial jets from up to five airlines to augment U.S. military efforts to transport Afghan evacuees from bases in the region, according to U.S. officials. The civilian planes wouldn't fly in or out of Kabul, which fell to Taliban rule Aug. 15, officials said. Instead, commercial airline pilots and crews would help to ferry the thousands of Afghans and others who are stranded at U.S. bases in Qatar, Bahrain and Germany," the newspaper reported.

The Civil Reserve Air Fleet is currently comprised of 24 airlines and 450 aircraft. Of that, 413 aircraft are in the international segment, with 268 in the long-range international section.

"The U.S. Transportation Command, part of the military, has provided an initial notification to airlines that they may told to implement the reserve fleet, the U.S. officials said. White House, Pentagon and Commerce officials hadn't yet issued final approvals for its use, and alternative options still could be instituted, the officials said. The possible use of CRAF hasn't been previously reported," the newspaper noted.