An RQ-4 Global Hawk burning an alternative fuel blend completed a 32-hour flight test from Edwards AFB, Calif., becoming the first USAF remotely piloted aircraft to run on this new fuel mixture. Initial data indicate that the high-flying Global Hawk should have no significant issues utilizing this blend in actual operations, according to Edwards officials. The RQ-4 Block 20 air vehicle carried a 50-50 blend of traditional JP-8 aviation fuel and 50 percent synthetic paraffinic kerosene during the Nov. 22-23 flight. SPK is derived from materials like natural gas or coal. For this test, one half of the SPK portion came from coal; the other half came from natural gas. The Global Hawk is one of the final USAF platforms that officials are certifying to run on this JP-8-SPK blend. Another evaluation flight is scheduled in the coming weeks. (Edwards report by Kenji Thuloweit)
The Air Force’s Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile is behind schedule and may significantly overrun its expected cost, which could partially explain why the service is reviving the hypersonic AGM-183 Air-Launched Rapid-Response Weapon.