Norway first to operate F-35 on blended biofuel
January 17, 2025
Norway has become the first country to operate the Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jet using a blend of sustainable aviation fuel, a “historic climate initiative that can strengthen Norwegian preparedness,” explained the Norwegian minister of defence Bjørn Arild Gram.
The milestone was undertaken at the RNoAF’s Ørland air base, home to the 132 Air Wing’s two F-35A squadrons. Although a second demonstration flight (scheduled for 15 January) was cancelled due to adverse weather, the RNoAF had successfully carried out a first test flight with a 40% blend of SAF the previous day – in this instance, using a biofuel made from waste, residues and by-products.
Lockheed Martin stated on 16 January that it had “recently approved” the use of synthetic aviation turbine fuels [SATF] in the platform, with vice president and general manager of the F-35 programme Chauncey McIntosh stating: “Lockheed Martin is committed to ensuring the F-35 is always ready for any customer mission… adding new fuel sources helps make this happen by diversifying the supply chain while maintaining operational excellence”.
The permission was granted following comprehensive technical and strategic analysis to ensure “SATF meets the strict performance and reliability standards required for the F-35’s complex, high-demand missions,” explained Lockheed Martin. It may currently be combined with conventional jet fuel at a ratio of up to 50%, “depending on the type of raw materials and production pathway”.
With the defence minister estimating that Norway’s fighter jets currently account for about one-third of direct CO2 emissions within the defence sector, “the aim is to contribute to achieving climate targets while enhancing preparedness,” he stated. However, this “ambitious long-term defence plan” goes beyond environmental responsibility, with the ongoing initiatives “also about technological development and preparedness”.
However, although Gram acknowledged that “local production of sustainable aviation fuel cold decrease [Norway’s] dependence on lengthy supply chains,” the government cautioned that “while the F-35 is approved for sustainable aviation fuel, challenges remain concerning fuel availability and production capacity in Norway”.
Norway has already achieved notable firsts within the remit of sustainable aviation fuel use, having become the first nation to impose a SAF mandate in 2020 (requiring 0.5% of all aviation fuel sold in Norway, with the notable exception of the Norwegian Armed Forces, to be advanced biofuels). In 2016, Oslo Airport became the world’s first hub to include blended SAF, while Norsk e-Fuel expects to start full-scale fuel production from Norway’s first large-scale synthetic SAF production plant 2026. (Crucially, this ‘second-generation’ fuel technology moves beyond the HEFA-produced biofuel comprising virtually the entirety of currently commercially available sustainable fuel).
The use of biofuel is part of what the Norwegian government describes as a “broader range of environmental initiatives,” including the testing of mobile hybrid systems with wind turbines and solar panels.
In 2017, Saab’s Gripen D became the first single-engine fighter to fly with 100% biofuel (in this instance made from rapeseed oil) during a test flight from the Swedish manufacturer’s Linköping facilities. However, at the time, director of research and technology, future business, aeronautics Göran Bengtsson concluded that although “biofuel can be used as a fully satisfactory alternative to ordinary jet fuel in Gripen… further certification of the fuel and access to the fuel in the amounts that correspond to operational needs” would still be required.
