The Military Utility of Very Large Airplanes and Alternative Fuels

William T. Mikolowsky, Larry W. Noggle, William Stanley

ResearchPublished 1977

Very large airplanes using alternative fuels are examined in the context of existing and possible future U.S. Air Force missions. Synthetic jet fuel, liquid methane, liquid hydrogen, and uranium (i.e., aircraft nuclear propulsion) are the fuel alternatives selected for detailed analysis. Conceptual designs of airplanes using each of these fuels were developed and estimates were made of their life-cycle cost and life-cycle energy consumption. Mission analyses were performed to determine the effectiveness of the alternative airplanes in strategic airlift specifically and in the station-keeping role in general. Results indicate that for most military applications airplanes with gross weights in excess of one million pounds promise to be superior to any contemporary airplanes in terms of cost effectiveness and energy effectiveness. From both cost and energy viewpoints, a conventional hydrocarbon jet fuel, whether manufactured from oil shale, coal, or crude oil, remains the most attractive aviation fuel for future Air Force use.

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  • Copyright: RAND Corporation
  • Availability: Available
  • Year: 1977
  • Print Format: Paperback
  • Paperback Pages: 30
  • Paperback Price: $20.00
  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.7249/P5994
  • Document Number: P-5994

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RAND Style Manual
Mikolowsky, William T., Larry W. Noggle, and William Stanley, The Military Utility of Very Large Airplanes and Alternative Fuels, RAND Corporation, P-5994, 1977. As of September 11, 2024: https://www.rand.org/pubs/papers/P5994.html
Chicago Manual of Style
Mikolowsky, William T., Larry W. Noggle, and William Stanley, The Military Utility of Very Large Airplanes and Alternative Fuels. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1977. https://www.rand.org/pubs/papers/P5994.html. Also available in print form.
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