AIR FORCE FUEL Summary

November 21, 2007 at 2:00a.m.

FLYING FUEL: The Air Force has approved using a blend of synthetic and oil-based fuel in some of its planes and is testing it in others. It hopes to eventually use fuel made from liquefying coal.

FUTURE: The Air Force has committed to use — by 2016 — a blend of domestically produced synthetic fuel and oil-refined fuel for half of the fuel it buys for its planes in the continental United States.

WHY? The military wants to lessen dependence on foreign oil by taking advantage of vast domestic coal reserves.