First Air-To-Air Synthetic Fuel Transfer

The US Air Force is wasting no time in testing their new synthetic jet fuel. Just yesterday they marked another milestone when the 50/50 blend of JP-8 and fuel derived from the Fisher-Tropsch method was transferred via aerial refueling from a KC-135 to an F-22 Raptor. This also marks the first flight of a Raptor using the new fuel. Neither the KC-135 from March ARB or the F-22 from Edwards AFB were modified to perform the test. "Our goal was to complete the test plan and to support the certification," said Maj. Drew Allen, 411 FLTS chief of standardization and evaluation and also the test pilot. "We wanted to prove that there was no negative effect in performing the aerial refueling using the synthetic fuel." This test moves the USAF another step closer to certifying the synthetic fuel for the entire Air Force fleet as well as moving them another step away from dependence on foreign oil.

[Lockheed Martin photo]
[AF Link]

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The coolest Air Force in the world

I just ran across these photos on the US Air Force's website and wanted to share them.

This first one shows a pair of specially painted F-117 Nighthawks on their very last aerial refueling before their retirement on March 11. Nice little Stars and Stripes action for ya. Thanks again F-117 for your years of service to our country.

The reason I really liked this photo was because at first it looks like a black & white photo. Then, you realize it's a color when you see the ANG on boom fin and the color off the canopy. Real nice shot. This Raptor is from the brand new 90th Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska.

Our unstoppable air superiority, and our style factor, as seen above, are why we truly have the coolest Air Force in the world.