The US Military budget was raised to US$532.8 Billion for the year 2007, around 3.7% of the country’s GDP. This is more than the combined defense budget of China, Russia, UK, India, Japan and the next 10 countries which top in world military spending. To keep all the tanks, ships, aircrafts and Humvee’s moving in battle’s around the world takes a lot of fuel. Did you know that the Abrams tank can travel less than 0.6 mile per gallon of fuel.
Here are a few facts on the US Military Oil Consumption.
5) Over half of the fuel transported to the battlefield is consumed by support vehicles, not vehicles engaged in frontline combat. The top 10 battlefield guzzlers in the U.S. Army, only 2 are combat vehicles (the Abrams tank and the Apache helicopter). The other eight carry fuel and supplies.
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4) The Department of Defense (DoD) per capita energy consumption of 524 trillion Btu is 10 times more than per capita energy consumption in China, or 30 times more than that of Africa. Only three countries consume more oil per capita then the DoD.
3) In 2006 Air Force consumed around 2.6 billion gallons of jet-fuel which is the same amount of fuel U.S. airplanes consumed during WWII (between December 1941 and August 1945). The mighty B52 bomber (pictured above) consumes 3300 gallons per hour, the F16 Falcon burns 800 gallons per hour and the KC-135 Statotanker an aerial refueling tanker aircraft consumes 2650 gallons per hour.
2) The Department of Defense is the single largest consumer of petroleum in the U.S and the US military is the biggest purchaser of oil in the world. In 2006 the US Military consumed 117 million barrels or 320,000 barrels per day.
1) With upto 15 gallons per day per deployed soldier in January 2007 the American GI is the most energy-consuming soldier ever seen on the field of war.
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Top 5 facts on US Military Oil Consumption
3 responses to “Top 5 facts on US Military Oil Consumption”
And then we wonder why are the fuel prices so high. it sucks that the rest of the world has to pay for america’s continous refusal to do anything about reducing their per capita usage and dependance on oil. i just read that toyota despite their green image are also fighting the latest euro requirements on fuel efficiency simply because they too make their most profits from the bigger gas guzzlers. the US shud make a start with signing the kyoto protocol for once, and australia its waggy dog will of course follow. i reckon that most of the oil coming from iraq gets routed straight to alaska. the only reason i support china , a communist nations, growth is that a lone superpower is simply not good for the planet. another one will help keep it in check.
I hate America like everyone else, any you citizens of USA, doing nothing to stop it! We’ll all suffer together from the mistakes your government is making.
You guys are just a bunch of wussies. When we’re gone, someone tougher than you will eat you alive.