As we reported Wednesday, the A-10 has flown in tests with the synthetic fuel blend that the Air Force intends to introduce fleet-wide by early next decade. Jeff Braun, director of USAF’s alternative fuels certification office, tells the Daily Report that USAF expects full certification by year’s end for the A-10 to operate with this fuel. Braun said the Air Force has cleared the F-22 and the F-4 (USAF flies QF-4 target drones) for unrestricted use of this fuel, in addition to the platforms we’ve previously reported on: B-1, B-52, C-17, and F-15. In addition to the A-10, the C-5, C-130J, F-16, KC-135, and T-38 have run on the fuel in tests and are awaiting certification. Yet to fly on it are the B-2 (expected by year’s end), T-6 and HH-60 (early next year), and RQ-4 and MQ-9 (summer 2010), said Braun.
Members of Congress from both parties expressed frustration and dismay over the abrupt and still-unexplained firing last month of Air Force Gen. Timothy Haugh from his dual role as head of U.S. Cyber Command and director of the National Security Agency.