The research, which focused on employing synthetic fuel technology and was conducted by the RAF in collaboration with the British company Zero Petroleum, was revealed today at the Farnborough International Airshow.
It will offer vital information to support the scalability and effectiveness of the synthetic technology, which might completely transform the fuel used by the RAF while preserving its cutting-edge capabilities.
The Royal Air Force will proceed to the next phase, creating more fuel for certification and testing, after performing a world-record-breaking first 100% synthetic flight in November 2021.
The next step will be to build a fuel manufacturing capacity on a squadron scale using the design blueprints from this research.
This phase’s testing will include evaluating the notion that synthetic fuels burn more reliably and cleanly than fossil fuels.
By minimising the need for fuel resupply, this technology’s fuel production might reduce the RAF’s reliance on global supply chains, eliminate fossil carbon emissions during flight, and improve operational resilience.
Defense Minister Jeremy Quin said: Ground-breaking new fuel technology has been developed thanks to the inventiveness and imagination of the RAF and UK industry, supported by our ring-fenced R&D budget.
It has the ability to increase operational resiliency while reducing in-flight emissions of fossil carbon.
The Ikarus C42 microlight aircraft, which was on show at Farnborough today, accomplished a brief trip across the United Kingdom while being propelled by 15 litres of whole-blend synthetic gasoline in November 2021.
Although many RAF assets may use green energy sources like electric and hydrogen power generation, high-performance aircraft like fast jets need a liquid fuel alternative to retain operational capability.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, the head of the air staff, stated that this innovative partnership with Zero Petroleum represents a preview of the future of aviation fuel.
The Royal Air Force and UK research and technology can play a leading role in how we will overcome the NetZero problem as a global and national endeavour.
The synthetic fuel produced by Zero Petroleum is created by separating carbon from atmospheric carbon dioxide and hydrogen from water.
These are combined to produce the “drop-in” synthetic fuel using energy produced from renewable resources like wind or solar.
Zero Petroleum founder Paddy Lowe said: Zero Petroleum’s commitment and passion to offer the answer utilising special British technology matches the RAF’s ambition for fossil-free flight using synthetic fuels.
With our world-record-breaking demonstration flight in 2021, we together demonstrated what was possible.
We are overjoyed to get started right now on the crucial development of this technology to production readiness before its wide-scale deployment to flight operations.
The RAF, which has been a pioneer for more than 100 years, is the ideal partner we could ask for.
The ground-breaking discovery highlights the MOD’s solution-based strategy for addressing climate change challenges while maintaining operational commitments and being adaptable in a world of changing threats.
Along with being supported by the £24 billion defence settlement, which includes a £6.6 billion R&D investment, it also supports the objectives outlined in the Defence Command Paper.
The RAF’s objective to reach Net Zero by 2040 may be closer to reality with the introduction of sustainable aviation fuel.
The RAF intends to open its first Net Zero airbase by 2025 as part of the Government’s effort to achieve Net Zero by 2050.
