Shaw AFB, S.C., is the first Air Force base to employ a new hybrid refueling truck and plans to operate it in a one-year test to determine whether the 72,000-pound vehicle will indeed save money and reduce emissions. Shaw currently uses diesel trucks to refuel aircraft, making about 1,600 trips from the fuel storage area to waiting aircraft every month. The hybrid has a diesel engine, an electric motor, and a battery pack.
As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.