The military buildup in the Middle East is building up the bottom lines of U.S. cargo carriers in a sluggish economy
rom any angle, the numbers are staggering. As of Sept. 30, 2002, commercial carriers working on behalf of the United States military and its Operation Enduring Freedom to the Middle East had flown 2,885 flights and transported 177,333 tons of air cargo for a total cost of $680.9 million.
The CRAF participants are broken into two teams for contractual, or bidding, purposes, one led by FedEx Express, the other by North American Airlines, a small passenger charter carrier. Other carriers flying cargo missions for OEF include: Air Transport International, Arrow Air, Atlas Air, DHL Airways, Evergreen International Airlines, Gemini Air Cargo, Lynden Air Cargo, Northwest Airlines, Polar Air Cargo, United Parcel Service, and World Airways. They have flown 747s, MD-11s, DC-10s, DC-8s, and L-100s.