Moving closer to achieving the objective of decreasing its need for petroleum-based fuels, the Navy flew an MH60S Sea Hawk on a 50/50 biofuel blend. The helicopter, from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 21 at Naval Air Station Patuxent River tested a fuel mixture made from the Camelina seed, which is in the same family of plants as the mustard seed and rapeseed. “These biofuels provide the US Navy with an ‘off-ramp’ from petroleum to increased energy security,” said Rear Admiral Philip Cullom, director, navy task force energy. Earlier this year, the Navy tested this biofuel blend on the F/A-18 Super Hornet. Results from those tests indicated the aircraft performed as expected through its full flight envelope with no degradation of capability.

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