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.
Airmen and Guardians in the Active and Reserve component, as well as civilian employees, in “mission critical and high-risk populations” are now required to receive influenza vaccinations annually to “preserve force readiness,” according to a recent Department of the Air Force memo.