US military combines green and mean to fly drones on biofuels

[xchrom]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/damian-carrington-blog/2012/mar/15/biofuels-us-navy-drone


A BQM-74E aerial drone is launched from the USS Thach. The US Navy has flown drones using a 50-50 mix of biofuel and jet fuel. Photograph: MC3 Stuart Phillips/U.S. Navy

The unmanned drones used by the US Navy to bomb its enemies without risking its pilots have been tested using a 50-50 mix of biofuel and regular jet fuel. The use of drones has become increasingly controversial, but that's a debate for another place.

What's important here is that it is another sign that one of the most hard-headed outfits on Earth has realised that being green can help them be mean. Thomas Hicks, the deputy assistant secretary of state of the US Navy, puts it plainly. The navy's plan, to get a third of all its fuel from biofuels by 2020 "increases our mission effectiveness and is better for the US economically." What he means is that using less fuel exposes the Navy's forces to less risk during resupply and that cutting reliance on imported oil increases security and could save money.

We've written about the Navy's plans before, but an update is worthwhile. Hicks, attending the World Biofuels Markets conference in Rotterdam, told me that using biofuel had caused no negative issues for the operation of the drones: "In fact, because the fuel is cleaner, we have seen some positive impacts, as per the engine performance."

As well as the drones, Hicks said the Navy has virtually finished testing all its ships and aircraft on 50-50 biofuel blends. An F/A-18 Super Hornet – the biggest gas-guzzler in the US air fleet – has been tested at almost twice the speed of sound and a ship has been tested at 50 knots on the fuel.