A new report commissioned by DOD states that the US military will find handling crises around the world “unsustainable in the long term” because of rising fuel costs, reports Bryan Bender of the Boston Globe. According to Bender, who obtained a copy of “Transforming the Way DOD Looks at Energy” prepared by LMI Government Consulting, the report serves as a “potential blueprint for a new military energy strategy.” The Air Force, as DOD’s largest energy consumer—predominantly for aviation fuel—already has embarked on alternative fuel strategies, including synthetic fuel to propel aircraft and solar energy to run bases.
As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.