What type of fuel do fighter jets usually use?

A fighter aircraft is a type of military aircraft of the air force, with the function of directly participating in combat and destroying enemy forces in the air, on the ground, at sea and in space.

From the second generation fighter aircraft onwards, fighter aircraft are equipped with single-stream jet engines, which help the aircraft accelerate quickly and have high maneuverability, but consume a lot of fuel. This type of engine has a short lifespan, especially when performing full boost.

The type of fuel used for fighter jet engines is aviation kerosene, also known as jet gasoline or aviation gasoline. It is widely used in military and civil aviation to provide powerful power and performance for fighter aircraft.

According to experts, aviation gasoline has slow evaporation and is mixed with many chemicals to be able to withstand high altitudes and not corrode the engine. In addition, aviation gasoline also has the property of not freezing when the plane is at high altitude, when the outdoor temperature is several dozen degrees below zero.

There are two main types of aviation gasoline: Jet A1 aviation gasoline and JP-8 aviation gasoline. JET A1 is the most popular aviation gasoline in the world and is suitable for most military and civilian jet engines.

Jet A1 gasoline is a light oil product with good flammability and energy density, suitable for the requirements of high-power jet engines. JP-8 gasoline is mixed with some special additives to meet the special needs of military jet engines.

These jet gasolines have many advantages, making them the fuel of choice for fighter jets. First of all, aviation gasoline has high energy density, which can provide continuous power and flight capability for fighter aircraft.

Second, the combustion stability is good, which can meet the requirements of jet engines for stable combustion and ensure reliable operation of the engine. In addition, aviation gasoline is also less flammable, helping to reduce the risk of unintended fires and explosions in fighter aircraft.

In addition to these advantages, aviation gasoline is also easy to preserve and handle. It is relatively stable during storage and transportation, and can be preserved for a long time without deterioration.

In addition, the world’s aviation gasoline supply chain is relatively complete, with a global supply and distribution network, ensuring that fighter jets can access fuel in a timely manner.

In actual use, the fuel consumption of military fighter aircraft is relatively large, so the development of fuel-efficient engines is also an important direction for aviation powers such as America, Russia or Europe.

Compared with other fuels, aviation gasoline has higher thermal efficiency and can provide more energy; thereby contributing to reducing fuel consumption and increasing operating range. Therefore, the price of aviation gasoline is also more expensive than fuel for other types of engines.

Besides, the fuel consumption of jet engines on fighter aircraft is often very large. Typically, the fuel load of a heavy fighter aircraft equipped with two engines is about 5-10 tons, and the fuel consumption per flight hour is about 3 tons.

According to the average fuel price of 2023, the average Jet A1 gasoline price is 143.4 USD/barrel (equivalent to about 14 million VND/ton), so the fuel cost for one fighter aircraft per hour Flying requires 42 million. This is still without afterburner, and once afterburner is turned on for supersonic cruise, the 42 million fuel is only enough for about half an hour.

In summary, military fighter aircraft often use aviation gasoline as fuel because of its advantages of high energy density, stability, good combustion, easy storage and handling, as well as a good supply chain. and save fuel. Among them, JET A1 and JP-8 gasoline are the most popular types.