5 Civil Aircraft That Serve (Or Could Serve) The US Military

When one thinks of military aircraft, specially designed bombers and fighter jets often come to mind. However, many of the Air Force’s aircraft are modified civilian aircraft. The United States Air Force has long employed commercial passenger jets and business jets for personal transportation. Famously, the Douglas C-47 Skytrain (based on the commercial DC-3 airliner) was credited by Eisenhower as one of the reasons the Allies were able to win World War II. Today, civilian aircraft are used in more than just traditional transportation roles – the Air Force is even exploring finding a rapid transportation role for SpaceX’s Starship and logistically-simple roles for eVTOL aircraft.