A Question for the Techno Savvy?

Question

This is a question regarding something I was thinking about today. You know how we're having hybrid cars nowadays? Prius, etc...Well, since the military uses x amount of oil to fuel their tanks, planes, armored vehicles...Do any of you see any kind of way to make a military arsenal "green"?

So a tank that does not have to run on oil, a fighter jet that does not have to run on jet-fuel, etc? I am just extremely curious. Answers can be factual, or theoretical!

Thanks!

Answer 1

Nice idea, but it won't work.

In a battlefield you can't be sure of what kind of fuels you will find. The vehicles in the Army are multifueled ones. During Desert Storm the Saudis offer the US free fuel, but they wanted to limit how much fuel so they told the told the US that they would only supply one type of fuel. The US chose the most expensive (highest quality) jet fuel. The US Army never batted an eye; they just adjusted the fuel mixture on their carbs and ran on jet fuel like it was the diesel that they normally run on.

Remember that in WWII Patton's advance was stopped when he ran out of fuel. The US Military never forgets events like that and they do the best they can t o avoid such problems so the requirement for future vehicles was that they be multifuel capable engines.

Bio Diesel is a great fuel at only dimes a gallon, but it gets half the gas mileage of normal diesel so the Army wouldn't use it and restrict their troops range. However, if you can provide natural gas or hydrogen then the current inventory of vehicles can be adjusted to burn them.

As for using hybrids the new Bradly Fighting Vehicle is a hybrid. It can run quietly on its electric engine for about 30 minutes so it can get closer to the enemy before being discovered.

Answer 2

if u read popular science they're predicting that kind of military equipment all the time, but they're mostly just speculations and they dont really have any proof that they will work. At this point in time it probably wouldnt be economical or practical to change or arsenal anyway, but in the future when oil becomes more scarce it might be a good idea, or even a necessity. Something else to think about: with no oil left, will there be even be a cause for war? Most wars fought now are oil related; without that factor will we fight as much?