US Navy flies supersonic with 50% blend of Gevo ATJ

22 December 2014

The US Navy, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), and isobutanol provider Gevo, Inc. announced the first successful “alcohol-to-jet” (ATJ) (earlier post) supersonic flight at the Naval Air Warfare Center in Patuxent River, Md. This is the first aviation test program comprehensively to test and evaluate the performance of a 50/50 ATJ blend in supersonic (above Mach 1) afterburner operations—a critical test to successfully clear the F/A-18 for ATJ operations through its entire flight envelope.

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In 2012, the US Air Force began ATJ flight testing with an A-10 Thunderbolt jet powered by a Gevo-produced blend of 50% ATJ fuel and 50% JP-8. (Earlier post.) Earlier this year, Lufthansa announced it would evaluate Gevo Alcohol-to-Jet renewable fuel for commercial aviation use. (Earlier post.)

The US Navy is exploring alternative fuels that can serve as drop-in replacements to petroleum, as the availability of additional fuel sources can increase resiliency for operational commanders and help reduce US dependence on fossil fuels. The Navy Fuels Team at Patuxent River is leading the Navy’s test and qualification efforts of alternative fuel sources. The F/A-18 testing is a significant milestone leading to a military specification (MIL-SPEC). This MIL-SPEC would allow for commercial supply of ATJ fuel to the Navy and Marine Corps.

Gevo produces ATJ at its demo biorefinery in Silsbee, TX, using isobutanol produced at its Luverne, MN, fermentation facility. Gevo is currently operating its Luverne plant in Side-by-Side operational mode, whereby isobutanol is being produced in one of the facility’s four fermenters, while the other three fermenters are dedicated to ethanol production. The isobutanol that Gevo is producing is meeting product specifications for direct drop-in applications, as well as for use as a feedstock for the Silsbee biorefinery to produce hydrocarbons such as ATJ.

The F/A-18 Hornet is a single-and two-seat, twin engine, multi-mission fighter/attack aircraft that can operate from either aircraft carriers or land bases. Its engine thrust from 36,000 pounds to 44,000 pounds utilizing two General Electric F414 turbo-fan engines.