USAF F-22 Raptor flown on synthetic biofuel

An F-22 Raptor successfully flew at supercruise 50/50 fuel blend of conventional petroleum-based JP-8 and biofuel derived from camelina, a weed-like plant not used for food.

The flight was the capstone of a series of ground and flight test events conducted by members of the 411th Flight Test Squadron of the United States Air Force (USAF) using the biofuel blend. The USAF selected the F-22 weapons system to be the biofuel blend flight test pathfinder for all fighter aircraft.

The overall test objective was to evaluate biofuel fuel blend suitability in the F-22 weapons system, officials said. The testing consisted of air starts, operability, and performance at different speeds and altitudes throughout the flight envelope.

The F-22 Raptor performed several manoeuvres including a supercruise at 40,000 ft, reaching speeds of 1.5 Mach. Supercruise is supersonic flight without using the engine’s afterburner.

Officials said that the overall flight was a success and another milestone completed for the Alternative Fuels Certification Division in support the Air Force’s 2016 acquisition goal to cost-competitively acquire 50 per cent of the domestic aviation fuel requirement via alternative fuel blends in which the component is derived from domestic sources produced in a manner that is ‘greener’ than fuels produced from conventional petroleum.