USAF Seeks To Slash C-17 Fuel Use In New Efficiency Program

The Air Force's new pilot program targets its largest fuel consumer, the C-17 Globemaster III, and takes cues from commercial airlines strategies.

Kimberly Johnson

Thursday, February 03, 2022 at 05:32 PM ET

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Staff Sergeant John Eller conducts preflight checks on a C-17 Globemaster III. [Credit: U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Air Force has launched the "Mission Execution Excellence Program" (MEEP) to significantly cut aviation fuel costs and improve efficiency, drawing strategies and inspiration from commercial airlines.
The MEEP pilot program targets the C-17 Globemaster III fleet at specific bases, aiming for a 3 percent increase in mission effectiveness per gallon and up to $80 million in fuel cost savings through optimized operational practices.
This initiative is part of the Department of Defense's wider effort to integrate climate change considerations and energy efficiency into its operations, with plans to expand the MEEP strategies to other Air Force bases and aircraft after the pilot program concludes.

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In a bid to cut its aviation gas bill, the U.S. Air Force is employing new fuel efficiency strategies that take cues from commercial airlines, the service announced.

The new pilot program—dubbed the Mission Execution Excellence Program (MEEP)—targets the largest fuel guzzler in the fleet: the C-17 Globemaster III. The test program will roll out at Joint Base Charleston in South Carolina and Travis Air Base in California and run through the end of the year.