The Air Force as DOD’s “largest user of energy” has embraced “green power” and is researching alternative fuels, but it is still not enough, says Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne in his latest letter to airmen. Faced with increased energy costs (Air Combat Command’s aviation fuel bill has soared 31 percent in the past year), Wynne asks every airman to search for additional means to conserve all manner of energy.
After years of experiments and tests, senior Air Force leaders say they're on the verge of using C-17s and other cargo aircraft to launch cruise missiles via airdrop, touting the development as a way to bolster the combat fleet and a major shift in the service’s mindset.