The F414 turbofan engine powered the ‘Green Hornet,’ an F/A-18 Super Hornet fueled by a 50/50 biofuel blend, marking the first time a United States Navy (USN) fighter had taken to the skies with a non-petroleum fuel source. Prior to flight testing, GE ran more than 500 hours of component tests and close to 20 hours of F414 engine testing to validate that the engine would operate successful using the biofuel blend.
The blend used in the Super Hornet is derived from the camelina plant, which is a U.S.-grown, renewable, non-food source. The USN has set a goal of meeting half of its energy needs from alternative sources by 2020.
