In a joint initiative with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Joint Capabilities Group, the Australian Army is making regular use of the recently certified sustainable aviation fuel, derived from renewable sources.

Refuelling at RAAF Base East Sale demonstrated the ADF’s ability to pivot to use the fuel when it is produced domestically in coming years.

Certified for Defense use in 2023 all ADF aircraft are certified to use SAF, which is compliant with existing military aviation fuel standards and consistent with standards used by Australia’s allies and partners.

This year the Air Force, in collaboration with Joint Capability Group, expanded its use to a 12-month pilot activity at RAAF Base East Sale, making the base the first airfield in Australia routinely using a SAF blend.

HQ Aviation Command’s Director of Aviation Capability Management, Colonel Brenton Mellor, said “Army’s continuing participation in the initiative ensured its aviators and support personnel understood the strategic significance of SAF and could see how the fuel functioned the same as conventional aviation turbine fuel. SAF will be an important element in keeping Army aircraft in the air. Being able to increase our fuel stocks while maintaining our military capability and interoperability with allies increases our resilience, effectiveness and deterrence. The stopover by the Chinook at East Sale is an important milestone for the use of SAF across Defense, and Army Aviation looks forward to greater availability of synthetic aviation turbine fuels.”