Testing new bio-based vehicle oil

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Magen M. Reeves
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
The 341st Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle management flight has been chosen to participate to test out a new bio-based synthetic oil to be used in vehicle operations.

Malmstrom is one of four Air Force bases to test the oil in its vehicles.

The experiment is being headed by the Defense Logistics Agency and the 441st Vehicle Support Chain Operations Squadron from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.

Malmstrom was visited by the team leads for the initiative on March 22 for a briefing and to complete oil changes on the six vehicles that will be testing the synthetic oil.

Team leads include an Air Force member from the 441st VSCOS, a project manager and a project engineer.

"This is being sponsored by the DLA and office of the Secretary of Defense, and we have a select number of bases that we have chosen random vehicles from to participate in this project," said Senior Master Sgt. Joel Villarin, 441st VSCOS team lead.

The synthetic oil would be more environmentally friendly due to the fact that is plant-based, which aligns with the Air Force's initiative to utilize more eco-friendly materials and resources.

"From the Air Force perspective, we are pushing for an alternative fuel, more for energy sufficient and environmental conscious effort," said Villarin. "Not having participation could make or break the process."

The proposed idea is that if the oil proves to be just as capable as the current oil being used, then the switch to the synthetic oil will be made Air Force wide, possibly even Department of Defense wide in the future.

According to Villarin, Malmstrom was the last base to begin the experiment, which began in January at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. From there, the oil was placed into testing at Fairchild AFB, Washington, and Luke AFB, Arizona.

In an effort to keep the integrity of the testing, the bases chosen to participate are radically different in terms of either climate or vehicle use.

According to Villarin, Seymour Johnson is hot and humid, Fairchild has the 336th Training Group where the Search, Evasion, Resistance, Escape school uses vehicles to transport trainees across rugged terrain, and Luke is hot and dry. Malmstrom puts a great deal of miles on its vehicles from travel to and from the missile field as well as snow and extreme cold conditions.

In addition to the Air Force, the Department of Homeland Security's Law Enforcement Training School has also begun testing the synthetic oil in operational vehicles.

"The responsibilities (for the participants) are to monitor the vehicle's performance and to provide samples periodically so we can see exactly what the oil is doing to those engines," said Villarin.

The testing period will last for the next 12-18 months.

"There are three oil manufactures providing the oil, balanced throughout the AF sites, so all three get the same amount of vehicles and variety to test the oil in the vehicles," said George Handy, project manager.

According to Handy, the bio-based oil is a full-synthetic oil produced from an agricultural blend including canola seed, soybean and synthetic petroleum.

"Bio-based motor oils are a huge drive in that they are providing new markets to the seed growers associations in the United States," said Handy. "These manufacturers are looking for additional outlets for their products and are creating stimulus jobs in the U.S. using domestic reproduced products."

The oil developed is very stable and can uphold the current oil change mileage, 7,500 miles, used by the Air Force. The oil also has the potential to extend the mileage from 7,500 to 10,000 in the future, says Handy.

"There shouldn't be any change in the performance of any of the vehicles because they are already running on synthetic fuels," said Handy.

For the testing phase, Malmstrom has provided six vehicles, two each from the 583rd Missile Maintenance Squadron, the 341st Operations Group and 341st Security Forces Group.

"We have a good variety of vehicles used to determine oil efficiency," said Dave Maddox, 341st LRS transportation specialist.

If the testing is successful, the bio-based oil will be made available to purchase through normal channels. That could mean using a more sustainable product that is domestically produced, ultimately improving national security by reducing dependency on foreign oil.

"This allows (Malmstrom) as an installation and (the Air Force) as a service to be able say that you are buying more "green," sustainable products," said Handy.

"Malmstrom is asked to take samples and report issues" said Villarin. "This action will be whenever the vehicle has the oil changed for the next 12 to18 months. Vehicles with the special oil will have identifiable markers to keep the integrity of the evaluation."

According to Brian Yallaly, project engineer, providing samples to a third-party lab will determine how well the oil is sustaining and whether or not more miles can be added to the oil's efficient life.

The vehicles being tested at Malmstrom will all be under command of the 341st LRS vehicle management flight for oil changes.