The world’s first 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) flight using an in-service military aircraft has been completed with a U.K. Royal Air Force (RAF) Voyager air-to-air refueling tanker. The Oxforshire-based flight of the military variant of the Airbus A330 commercial jetliner also represents the first 100% SAF flight of any aircraft type carried out in U.K. airspace.

The 90-minute test flight replicated an air-to-air refueling sortie and was conducted as a collaboration involving the RAF, the U.K. Ministry of Defense, Airbus, British aircraft leasing company AirTanker, and Rolls-Royce. The SAF, which powered both engines in the aircraft, was supplied by Air BP, a division of British BP.

The test flight used an RAF Voyager air-to-air refueling aircraft. Source: U.K. Ministry of DefenseThe test flight used an RAF Voyager air-to-air refueling aircraft. Source: U.K. Ministry of Defense

The demonstration of the used cooking oil-based fuel to power the RAF Voyager points to the opportunity to reduce military reliance on global supply chains of petroleum-based fuels and to boost operational resilience by reducing fuel resupply requirements. The SAF also cuts lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80% compared to more conventional fuels.

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