RAF Flies Tanker On SAF

The RAF flew one of its Voyager tankers on 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and said it wasn’t just a publicity stunt. In a news release, the RAF said it’s serious about becoming the world’s first net-zero Air Force and “leading the way in improving operational resilience and developing future operating capability in a climate-changed world.” The Voyager is the tanker conversion of an A330 and the RAF said it was the first military flight on all SAF of an aircraft that big and the first 100 percent SAF flight in the U.K. They made good use of the fuel.

The big twin jet took off from RAF Brize Norton for a 90-minute flight that included a simulated air-to-air refueling. It was flown by a combined RAF, Rolls-Royce and Airbus flight test crew. “It demonstrated the RAF’s potential for its future operational capability, ensuring the ability to contribute to UK defence wherever and whenever required.”