The Air Force plans to begin a year-long demonstration at several air bases in the coming weeks to assess the viability of using commercially available jet fuel, known as Jet A, instead of military standard JP-8 fuel to power its aircraft. Dover AFB, Del., Little Rock AFB, Ark., McChord AFB, Wash., and Minneapolis-St. Paul ARS, Minn., are participating in this initiative. All are air mobility bases hosting C-5s, C-17s , or C-130s. The goal is to gauge the viability of reducing the service’s reliance on military specification products and simplifying the supply chain to help reduce costs. The Air Force Petroleum Agency estimates that $40 million could be saved annually using Jet A. Another aspect of this initiative is to explore how to reduce military fuel additives or introduce them further forward in the supply chain, again to save money. (SAF/PA report by MSgt. Russell Petcoff)
Anduril and General Atomics will develop their Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, beating out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the service announced on April 24. But any of the non-selected companies can compete to actually manufacture the eventual design the Air Force said.