Space Force May Seek Commercial Fleet to Augment Wartime Needs

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WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force may seek to deepen partnerships with private companies by establishing a fleet of commercial spacecraft that could be on standby for military use, much like the Civil Reserve Air Fleet.

Through the CRAF, the Department of Defense contracts with commercial airlines to provide additional airlift capacity in emergencies. The reserve fleet has been activated just three times in its 70 year history, most recently in the summer of 2021 to aid in the U.S. military’s evacuation mission in Afghanistan.

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