Misplaced Pages

#241758

54-490: Karshi-Khanabad (or K2 ) is an air base in southeastern Uzbekistan , just east of Karshi . It is home to the 60th Separate Mixed Aviation Brigade of the Uzbek Air Force . The airport is 1,365 feet (416 m) above mean sea level . It has one runway designated 07/25 with a concrete surface measuring 8,196 by 131 feet (2,498 m × 40 m). From 1954 to 1981, the 735th Fighter Aviation Regiment of

108-568: A blend with conventional jet fuel. As of the end of 2017, four other pathways to SPK are certified, with their designations and maximum blend percentage in brackets: Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA SPK, 50%); synthesized iso-paraffins from hydroprocessed fermented sugars (SIP, 10%); synthesized paraffinic kerosene plus aromatics (SPK/A, 50%); alcohol-to-jet SPK (ATJ-SPK, 30%). Both FT and HEFA based SPKs blended with JP-8 are specified in MIL-DTL-83133H. Some synthetic jet fuels show

162-635: A high- octane gasoline known as avgas ) has a high volatility to improve its carburetion characteristics and high autoignition temperature to prevent preignition in high compression aircraft engines. Turbine engines (as with diesel engines ) can operate with a wide range of fuels because fuel is injected into the hot combustion chamber. Jet and gas turbine ( turboprop , helicopter ) aircraft engines typically use lower cost fuels with higher flash points , which are less flammable and therefore safer to transport and handle. The first axial compressor jet engine in widespread production and combat service,

216-496: A nation can move about at will", which allows greater flexibility in diplomacy as well as military affairs. Aircraft carriers may also used in disaster relief . Jet fuel Jet fuel or aviation turbine fuel ( ATF , also abbreviated avtur ) is a type of aviation fuel designed for use in aircraft powered by gas-turbine engines . It is colorless to straw-colored in appearance. The most commonly used fuels for commercial aviation are Jet A and Jet A-1, which are produced to

270-506: A process to make jet fuel from seawater. The technology requires an input of electrical energy to separate Oxygen (O 2 ) and Hydrogen (H 2 ) gas from seawater using an iron-based catalyst, followed by an oligomerization step wherein carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen are recombined into long-chain hydrocarbons, using zeolite as the catalyst. The technology is expected to be deployed in the 2020s by U.S. Navy warships, especially nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. On February 8, 2021,

324-465: A reduction in pollutants such as SOx, NOx, particulate matter, and sometimes carbon emissions. It is envisaged that usage of synthetic jet fuels will increase air quality around airports which will be particularly advantageous at inner city airports. Qatar Airways became the first airline to operate a commercial flight on a 50:50 blend of synthetic Gas to Liquid (GTL) jet fuel and conventional jet fuel. The natural gas derived synthetic kerosene for

378-669: A result, a few aircraft engine manufacturers, most notably Thielert and Austro Engine , have begun offering aircraft diesel engines which run on jet fuel which may simplify airport logistics by reducing the number of fuel types required. Jet fuel is available in most places in the world, whereas avgas is only widely available in a few countries which have a large number of general aviation aircraft. A diesel engine may be more fuel-efficient than an avgas engine. However, very few diesel aircraft engines have been certified by aviation authorities. Diesel aircraft engines are uncommon today, even though opposed-piston aviation diesel powerplants such as

432-413: A standardized international specification. The only other jet fuel commonly used in civilian turbine-engine powered aviation is Jet B, which is used for its enhanced cold-weather performance. Jet fuel is a mixture of a variety of hydrocarbons . Because the exact composition of jet fuel varies widely based on petroleum source, it is impossible to define jet fuel as a ratio of specific hydrocarbons. Jet fuel

486-529: A terminal used by passengers for the Royal Air Force 's passenger transport flights. A number of military airbases may also have a civil enclave for commercial passenger flights, e.g. Beijing Nanyuan Airport (China), Chandigarh Airport (India), Ibaraki Airport (Japan), Burlington International Airport (USA), Sheikh Ul-Alam International Airport Srinagar (India), Taipei Songshan Airport (Taiwan), Eindhoven airport (The Netherlands). Likewise,

540-406: Is a naphtha-kerosene fuel that is used for its enhanced cold-weather performance. However, Jet B's lighter composition makes it more dangerous to handle. For this reason, it is rarely used, except in very cold climates. A blend of approximately 30% kerosene and 70% gasoline, it is known as wide-cut fuel. It has a very low freezing point of −60 °C (−76 °F), and a low flash point as well. It

594-465: Is an airfield that is used for the purpose of dispersing air units in the event of conflict, so to minimise the vulnerability of aircraft and its supporting units whilst on the ground. Dispersal airbases are not necessarily ordinarily operational in peace time, and may only be activated when needed. Airfields used as dispersal bases can either be auxiliary military airfields, civilian airports, or highway strips . Examples of uses of dispersal bases are

SECTION 10

#1732765668242

648-476: Is considered one of the few customers of biofuels large enough to potentially bring biofuels up to the volume production needed to reduce costs. The U.S. Navy has also flown a Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet dubbed the "Green Hornet" at 1.7 times the speed of sound using a biofuel blend. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) funded a $ 6.7 million project with Honeywell UOP to develop technologies to create jet fuels from biofeedstocks for use by

702-584: Is primarily used in northern Canada and Alaska , where the extreme cold makes its low freezing point necessary, and which helps mitigate the danger of its lower flash point. TS-1 is a jet fuel made to Russian standard GOST 10227 for enhanced cold-weather performance. It has somewhat higher volatility than Jet A-1 (flash point is 28 °C (82 °F) minimum). It has a very low freezing point, below −50 °C (−58 °F). The DEF STAN 91-091 (UK) and ASTM D1655 (international) specifications allow for certain additives to be added to jet fuel, including: As

756-399: Is the mandatory addition of an antistatic additive to Jet A-1 fuel. Jet A and Jet A-1 fuel trucks and storage tanks, as well as plumbing that carries them, are all marked "Jet A" or "Jet A-1" in white italicized text within a black rectangle background, adjacent to one or two diagonal black stripes. Jet A-1 fuel must meet: Jet A fuel must reach ASTM specification D1655 (Jet A). Jet B

810-569: Is therefore defined as a performance specification rather than a chemical compound. Furthermore, the range of molecular mass between hydrocarbons (or different carbon numbers) is defined by the requirements for the product, such as the freezing point or smoke point. Kerosene -type jet fuel (including Jet A and Jet A-1, JP-5, and JP-8) has a carbon number distribution between about 8 and 16 (carbon atoms per molecule); wide-cut or naphtha -type jet fuel (including Jet B and JP-4), between about 5 and 15. Fuel for piston-engine powered aircraft (usually

864-499: Is very similar to diesel fuel , and in some cases, may be used in diesel engines . The possibility of environmental legislation banning the use of leaded avgas (fuel in spark-ignited internal combustion engine, which usually contains tetraethyllead (TEL), a toxic substance added to prevent engine knocking ), and the lack of a replacement fuel with similar performance, has left aircraft designers and pilot's organizations searching for alternative engines for use in small aircraft. As

918-526: The 12th Independent Air Defense Army , Soviet Air Defence Force , was stationed at the base. It was equipped with MiG-15 (July 1950 – 1955), MiG-17 (1955-1969), and then Sukhoi Su-9 (Fishpot) aircraft (1961-1978). The regiment replaced the Su-9 in 1978 with the MiG-23M (Flogger-B). In 1981 it was renamed the 735th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment, and in 1984 the 735th Bomber Aviation Regiment. Until 1984

972-485: The Czech Republic . In the case of Finnish road airbases, the space needed for landing aircraft is reduced by means of an arrestor wire , similar to that used on some aircraft carriers ( Finnish Air Force uses F/A-18s , which were originally designed to land on aircraft carriers). An aircraft carrier is a type of naval ship which serves as a seaborne airbase, the development of which has greatly enhanced

1026-641: The Junkers Jumo 004 used on the Messerschmitt Me 262A fighter and the Arado Ar 234B jet recon-bomber, burned either a special synthetic "J2" fuel or diesel fuel. Gasoline was a third option but unattractive due to high fuel consumption. Other fuels used were kerosene or kerosene and gasoline mixtures. Most jet fuels in use since the end of World War II are kerosene-based. Both British and American standards for jet fuels were first established at

1080-511: The Junkers Jumo 205 family had been used during the Second World War. Jet fuel is often used in diesel-powered ground-support vehicles at airports. However, jet fuel tends to have poor lubricating ability in comparison to diesel, which increases wear in fuel injection equipment. An additive may be required to restore its lubricity . Jet fuel is more expensive than diesel fuel but the logistical advantages of using one fuel can offset

1134-590: The Swedish Bas 60 and Bas 90 systems, the British V-Bomber dispersal bases , and NATO's Dispersed Operating Bases in France . Road airbases are highways constructed to double as auxiliary airbases in the event of war. Countries known to utilise this strategy are India , Sweden , Finland , Germany (formerly), Singapore , Switzerland , South Korea , Turkey , Poland , Pakistan , and

SECTION 20

#1732765668242

1188-483: The 'cook house'), accommodation (single living accommodation for junior ranks , Sergeants' and Officers' Mess for senior non-commissioned officers and commissioned officers), recreational facilities (club house for socialising), shopping facilities ( NAAFI shops, base exchange, commissary), and sports facilities (gymnasium, swimming pool, sports pitches). An airbase may be defended by anti-aircraft weapons and force protection troops. A dispersal (or dispersed) airbase

1242-662: The B-1B, B-52H, C-17, Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules , McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom (as QF-4 target drones ), McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle , Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor , and Northrop T-38 Talon to use the synthetic fuel blend. The U.S. Air Force's C-17 Globemaster III, F-16 and F-15 are certified for use of hydrotreated renewable jet fuels. The USAF plans to certify over 40 models for fuels derived from waste oils and plants by 2013. The U.S. Army

1296-532: The State Standard ( GOST ) number, or a Technical Condition number, with the principal grade available being TS-1. Jet A specification fuel has been used in the United States since the 1950s and is usually not available outside the United States and a few Canadian airports such as Toronto , Montreal , and Vancouver , whereas Jet A-1 is the standard specification fuel used in most of the rest of

1350-617: The U.S. 10th Mountain Division arrived at the air base, under Major General Franklin L. Hagenbeck , on 12 December 2001 to function as the Combined Forces Land Component Command (CFLCC) (Forward). The division headquarters served as the representative for Lieutenant General Paul T. Mikolashek , the CFLCC commanding general. It was responsible for controlling virtually all U.S. and allied ground forces in

1404-692: The United States LSD is now only available to the off-road construction, locomotive and marine markets. As more EPA regulations are introduced, more refineries are hydrotreating their jet fuel production, thus limiting the lubricating abilities of jet fuel, as determined by ASTM Standard D445. JP-8 , which is similar to Jet A-1, is used in NATO diesel vehicles as part of the single-fuel policy. Fischer–Tropsch (FT) Synthesized Paraffinic Kerosene (SPK) synthetic fuels are certified for use in United States and international aviation fleets at up to 50% in

1458-820: The United States and NATO militaries. In April 2011, four USAF F-15E Strike Eagles flew over the Philadelphia Phillies opening ceremony using a blend of traditional jet fuel and synthetic biofuels. This flyover made history as it was the first flyover to use biofuels in the Department of Defense . The air transport industry is responsible for 2–3 percent of man-made carbon dioxide emitted. Boeing estimates that biofuels could reduce flight-related greenhouse-gas emissions by 60 to 80 percent. One possible solution which has received more media coverage than others would be blending synthetic fuel derived from algae with existing jet fuel: Solazyme produced

1512-484: The United States, ASTM International produces standards for civilian fuel types, and the U.S. Department of Defense produces standards for military use. The British Ministry of Defence establishes standards for both civil and military jet fuels. For reasons of inter-operational ability, British and United States military standards are harmonized to a degree. In Russia and the CIS members, grades of jet fuels are covered by

1566-420: The aviation industry's jet kerosene demands have increased to more than 5% of all refined products derived from crude, it has been necessary for the refiner to optimize the yield of jet kerosene, a high-value product, by varying process techniques. New processes have allowed flexibility in the choice of crudes, the use of coal tar sands as a source of molecules and the manufacture of synthetic blend stocks. Due to

1620-487: The base posed any serious health problems. DOD took steps to reduce possible sources of contamination, such as filling trenches with soil to create a cap to hold vapors underground, and covering radioactive soil and asbestos, which were criticized as ineffective by veterans. On 18 November 2020, the US House Committee on Oversight and Reform held a hearing on environmental health risks at the base. A fact sheet

1674-431: The base. They found widespread jet fuel plumes, usually 1–3 meters under ground, most likely from a leaking Soviet-era underground fuel distribution system as well as smaller, localized areas of surface dirt contaminated with asbestos and low-level radioactive processed uranium . Both were attributed to the destruction of Soviet missiles several years prior. Former U.S. servicemembers described "black goo" oozing out of

Karshi-Khanabad Air Base - Misplaced Pages Continue

1728-629: The capabilities of modern air forces and naval aviation . In many countries, they are now a key part of the military, allowing for their military aircraft to be staged much nearer the area of conflict. Aircraft carriers were vital to the United States during World War II , Korea and the Vietnam War , and to the United Kingdom in the 1982 Falklands War . They retain modern roles as well as "several acres of sovereign territory

1782-473: The detection of free water in jet fuel uses a water-sensitive filter pad that turns green if the fuel exceeds the specification limit of 30 ppm (parts per million) free water. A critical test to rate the ability of jet fuel to release emulsified water when passed through coalescing filters is ASTM standard D3948 Standard Test Method for Determining Water Separation Characteristics of Aviation Turbine Fuels by Portable Separometer. Military organizations around

1836-589: The end of World War II. British standards derived from standards for kerosene use for lamps—known as paraffin in the UK—whereas American standards derived from aviation gasoline practices. Over the subsequent years, details of specifications were adjusted, such as minimum freezing point, to balance performance requirements and availability of fuels. Very low temperature freezing points reduce the availability of fuel. Higher flash point products required for use on aircraft carriers are more expensive to produce. In

1890-473: The extra expense of its use in certain circumstances. Jet fuel contains more sulfur, up to 1,000 ppm, which therefore means it has better lubricity and does not currently require a lubricity additive as all pipeline diesel fuels require. The introduction of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel or ULSD brought with it the need for lubricity modifiers. Pipeline diesels before ULSD were able to contain up to 500 ppm of sulfur and were called Low Sulfur Diesel or LSD. In

1944-505: The first six months of 2008, largely due to fuel costs. In 2015 ASTM approved a modification to Specification D1655 Standard Specification for Aviation Turbine Fuels to permit up to 50 ppm (50 mg/kg) of FAME ( fatty acid methyl ester ) in jet fuel to allow higher cross-contamination from biofuel production. Worldwide demand of jet fuel has been steadily increasing since 1980. Consumption more than tripled in 30 years from 1,837,000 barrels/day in 1980, to 5,220,000 in 2010. Around 30% of

1998-459: The headquarters was redesignated as Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) Mountain. Seven thousand United States Department of Defense personnel were located at the base, also known as K2 and "Camp Stronghold Freedom", between 2001 and 2005. There they helped operate against the Taliban and al-Qaeda in neighboring Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom . The 416th Air Expeditionary Group

2052-440: The low temperatures in the upper atmosphere . This causes precipitation of the dissolved water from the fuel. The separated water then drops to the bottom of the tank, because it is denser than the fuel. Since the water is no longer in solution, it can form droplets which can supercool to below 0 °C (32 °F). If these supercooled droplets collide with a surface they can freeze and may result in blocked fuel inlet pipes. This

2106-405: The number and severity of the processes used, it is often necessary and sometimes mandatory to use additives. These additives may, for example, prevent the formation of harmful chemical species or improve a property of a fuel to prevent further engine wear. It is very important that jet fuel be free from water contamination . During flight, the temperature of the fuel in the tanks decreases, due to

2160-1211: The opposite also occurs; large civilian airports may contain a smaller military airbase within their environs, such as Royal Brunei Air Force Base, Rimba (located within Brunei International Airport ). Some airbases have dispersed aircraft parking, revetments , hardened aircraft shelters , or even underground hangars , to protect aircraft from enemy attack. Combat aircraft require secure protected storage of aircraft ordnance and munitions. Other facilities may also include technical buildings for servicing and support of survival equipment (including flying helmets and personal liquid oxygen), flight simulator for synthetic training, servicing facilities for all aircraft systems (airframes, propulsion, avionics, weapons systems) and associated ground support systems (including mechanical transport). All military airbases will have buildings for military administration (station headquarters, squadron briefing and operations), and larger bases will also include medical and dental facilities for military personnel (and sometimes their dependents), along with dining ( mess , informally known as

2214-682: The program to certify the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III and then the Rockwell B-1B Lancer to use the fuel. To test these two aircraft, the USAF has ordered 281,000 US gal (1,060,000 L) of FT fuel. The USAF intends to test and certify every airframe in its inventory to use the fuel by 2011. They will also supply over 9,000 US gal (34,000 L; 7,500 imp gal) to NASA for testing in various aircraft and engines. The USAF has certified

Karshi-Khanabad Air Base - Misplaced Pages Continue

2268-611: The regiment was equipped with the MiG-23M , and from 1984 to 1992 with the Su-24 . The regiment was under control of the Soviet Air Forces of the Turkestan Military District from April 1980 to May 1988, and then under 49th Air Army and 73rd Air Army . On 30 June 1992, control of the base passed from the dissolved Soviet Union to Uzbekistan . From 1992 changes began to affect the regiment before it

2322-486: The six-hour flight from London to Doha came from Shell's GTL plant in Bintulu , Malaysia . The world's first passenger aircraft flight to use only synthetic jet fuel was from Lanseria International Airport to Cape Town International Airport on September 22, 2010. The fuel was developed by Sasol . Chemist Heather Willauer is leading a team of researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory who are developing

2376-643: The soil, appearing to be a mixture of solvents, oils and other chemicals. Noxious vapors were also reported, along with radiation warning signs and a nearby pond that glowed green. Rainwater would reportedly flood tents and appeared contaminated with various chemicals. According to a 2015 Army study, 61 of the K2 veterans had been diagnosed with cancer or died of the disease, not counting the special operations forces. The United States Department of Veteran's Affairs and U.S. Army Public Health Center had denied that an increased rate of cancers exists or that any contamination at

2430-578: The test program. This program is part of the Department of Defense Assured Fuel Initiative, an effort to develop secure domestic sources for the military energy needs. The Pentagon hopes to reduce its use of crude oil from foreign producers and obtain about half of its aviation fuel from alternative sources by 2016. With the B-52 now approved to use the FT blend, the USAF will use the test protocols developed during

2484-583: The theater, including the security of airfields in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan, as well as the logistics operations set up to support those forces. The division was also intended to defend Uzbekistan against incursions by the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and other Islamist militant groups based in Afghanistan. On 13 February 2002, Mikolashek ordered Hagenbeck to move CFLCC (Forward) to Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan and two days later

2538-405: The world use a different classification system of JP (for "Jet Propellant") numbers. Some are almost identical to their civilian counterparts and differ only by the amounts of a few additives; Jet A-1 is similar to JP-8 , Jet B is similar to JP-4 . Other military fuels are highly specialized products and are developed for very specific applications. Jet fuel

2592-443: The world's first 100 percent algae-derived jet fuel, Solajet, for both commercial and military applications. Oil prices increased about fivefold from 2003 to 2008, raising fears that world petroleum production is becoming unable to keep up with demand . The fact that there are few alternatives to petroleum for aviation fuel adds urgency to the search for alternatives . Twenty-five airlines were bankrupted or stopped operations in

2646-456: The world's first scheduled passenger flight flew with some synthetic kerosene from a non-fossil fuel source. 500 liters of synthetic kerosene was mixed with regular jet fuel. Synthetic kerosene was produced by Shell and the flight was operated by KLM. On August 8, 2007, Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne certified the B-52H as fully approved to use the FT blend, marking the formal conclusion of

2700-414: The world, the main exceptions being Russia and the CIS members, where TS-1 fuel type is the most common standard. Both Jet A and Jet A-1 have a flash point higher than 38 °C (100 °F), with an autoignition temperature of 210 °C (410 °F). The differences between Jet A and Jet A-1 are twofold. The primary difference is the lower freezing point of Jet A-1 fuel: The other difference

2754-412: Was merged with other units into the 60th Separate Mixed Aviation Brigade. Following the 11 September 2001 attacks , U.S. Air Force Colonel Frank J. Kisner, Commander, 16th Operations Group , Hurlburt Field, FL, got to Karshi-Khanabad on 5 October 2001 just as advance elements of 5th Special Forces Group arrived. There he was tasked to carry out combat search and rescue operations. The headquarters of

SECTION 50

#1732765668242

2808-576: Was released detailing the health risks at the camp: As of the November 2020 hearing, the Department of Veterans' Affairs denied that the illnesses suffered by veterans at K2 suffered were service-connected. Air base An airbase typically has some facilities similar to a civilian airport ; for example, air traffic control and firefighting . Some military aerodromes have passenger facilities; for example, RAF Brize Norton in England has

2862-505: Was the cause of the British Airways Flight 38 accident. Removing all water from fuel is impractical; therefore, fuel heaters are usually used on commercial aircraft to prevent water in fuel from freezing. There are several methods for detecting water in jet fuel. A visual check may detect high concentrations of suspended water, as this will cause the fuel to become hazy in appearance. An industry standard chemical test for

2916-601: Was the host unit. On 29 July 2005, amid strained relations caused by the May 2005 unrest in Uzbekistan ; a prelude to another Color Revolution , the United States was told to vacate the base within six months. It was vacated by the United States in November 2005. In November 2001, the United States Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine -Europe performed an environmental baseline survey at

#241758