In early January, the Air Force conducted a flight demonstration with a B-2A stealth bomber running, for the first time ever, on the synthetic fuel blend that the service wants all of its aircraft capable of operating on next year. The demo involved an operational B-2 flying a training sortie from Whiteman AFB, Mo., Jeff Braun, director of USAF’s alternative fuel certification office, told the Daily Report Tuesday. This fuel blend is a 50-50 mix of traditional JP-8 jet fuel and synthetic paraffinic kerosene. Braun said the aircraft fully certified to date for “unrestricted operations” with the SPK blend are: the B-1B, B-52H, C-17, C-130J, F-4 (USAF still flies QF-4 target drones), F-15 (Eagles and Strike Eagles), F-22, and T-38. The A-10, C-5, C-130 (legacy), F-16, and KC-135 have flown with the fuel blend, but are not yet certified.
How Miss America 2024 Took the Air Force Somewhere New
Dec. 20, 2024
When 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh became the first ever active service member crowned Miss America on Jan. 14, top Air Force officials recognized a rare opportunity to reach women and girls who otherwise might not consider military service as an option.