Military operations generally rely on petroleum-based fuels that power communication equipment, forward deployed bases, tactical and combat ground vehicles, aircraft, naval vessels, and other platforms. For military operations, DOD primarily uses jet and naval distillate fuels. With regard to jet fuel, until recently DOD predominately used two types: Jet Propellant-8 and Jet Propellant-5. Jet Propellant-8 is the primary fuel used in DOD land-based aircraft, tactical and combat ground vehicles, and ground support equipment. Aircraft, ground vehicles, and support equipment deployed aboard maritime vessels (such as aircraft carriers) use Jet Propellant-5 since this jet fuel—which is stored in large quantities—is less combustible than other types of jet fuel, which is important for fire safety reasons. The standards for these two fuels are listed in the DOD technical fuel specification documents maintained by the Departments of the Air Force and Navy, respectively, and approved for use by all DOD departments and agencies. Jet Propellant-8 fuel is similar to commercial jet fuels—known as Jet A and Jet-A-1. The standards for these fuels are listed in the technical fuel specification document issued by ASTM International. As of the end of calendar year 2014, DOD reported completing conversion from Jet Propellant-8 fuel to Jet A—with the inclusion of specific additives for military unique requirements—at military installations within the United States. DOD uses naval distillate fuel, known as F-76, to power nonnuclear ships. This fuel can be burned in shipboard boilers, diesel engines and gas turbines. The standards for this fuel are listed in the DOD technical fuel specification document maintained by the Department of the Navy. Unlike the case of jet fuel, according to DOD officials, there is no commercial equivalent that meets the Navy’s maritime needs. DOD Directive 4180.01, DOD Energy Policy, among other things, establishes that DOD will diversify and expand its energy supplies and sources, including alternative fuels.responsibilities for various matters, including the following: The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy Plans and Programs for development, certification, qualification, field demonstration, and ongoing purchases of alternative fuels for operational platforms in accordance with the U.S. Code; is to develop policy and guidelines and provide oversight The Director, Defense Logistics Agency is to (1) manage energy commodities and related services to support the qualification of alternative fuels and support field demonstration activities; and ; and (2) provide energy expertise The Secretaries of the military departments are to develop and implement doctrine, guidance, and strategies consistent with the directive and implementing instructions. This position was recently merged with the former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Installations & Environment) position to create the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment. See Carl Levin and Howard P. “Buck” McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015, Pub. L. No. 113-291, § 901(f) (2014) (amending 10 U.S.C. § 138(b)(9)). Many of the responsibilities of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy Plans and Programs were transferred from section 138c of Title 10, U.S. Code, to section 2926. See id. § 901(g). This responsibility is to be carried out in accordance with Department of Defense Directive 4140.25, DOD Management Policy for Energy Commodities and Related Services (Apr. 12, 2004). This directive was reissued as Department of Defense Instruction 4140.25 on June 25, 2015. alternative fuels are obtained using the DOD’s standard fuel alternative fuels for operational purposes are purchased when cost- competitive with traditional fuels and when qualified as compatible with existing equipment and infrastructure; and fuel systems are qualified to use available commercial-type fuels, including alternative fuels. DOD’s Alternative Fuels Policy for Operational Platforms lists the department’s primary alternative fuels goal as, among other things, furthering flexibility of military operations through the ability to use multiple, reliable fuel sources. for the department’s investment in alternative fuels, to include: increasing DOD’s resilience against strategic supply disruptions, reducing the effect of petroleum price volatility, and increasing fuel options for operational commanders. This policy indicates alternative fuels can serve as a mechanism for mitigating anti-access/area denial effects, and for enabling flexibility in supply chain logistics. The policy stresses that the desired end-state of investments in alternative fuels is operational military readiness and battlespace effectiveness. Additionally, it articulates considerations DOD’s Operational Energy Strategy and related Operational Energy Implementation Plan identify the high-level goal of expanding DOD’s operational energy supply options. Promoting the development of alternative fuels—in the form of testing and approving them for use by existing military platforms, and helping to catalyze a competitive biofuels industry—constitutes one means for achieving this goal. Department of Defense Alternative Fuels Policy for Operational Platforms (July 5, 2012). Each of the three military departments has energy guidance documents that address alternative energy or alternative fuels. Two of DOD’s military departments—the Navy and the Air Force—have also established usage goals for alternative fuels. The Department of the Navy’s guidance sets a goal of deriving 50 percent of total energy consumption from alternative sources—including alternative fuels—by 2020, which, according to Navy estimates, would require using about 336 million gallons of alternative fuels (both naval distillate and jet fuels) annually by 2020. In addition to setting quantitative goals, the guidance established a goal of demonstrating (which the Department of the Navy completed in July 2012) and deploying (by 2016) the Great Green Fleet—that is, ships and aircraft fueled by alternative fuels and other alternative energy sources or utilizing other energy conservation measures. The Department of the Air Force’s guidance includes a goal of increasing, to 50 percent of total consumption, the use of cost-competitive drop-in alternative jet fuel blends for non-contingency operations by 2025. Although the Department of the Army uses jet fuel in its tactical and combat ground vehicles, aircraft, and other ground support equipment (such as generators) and engages in efforts to test and approve alternative jet fuel for use in these platforms, the Army does not have specific alternative fuel usage goals in its energy guidance. For additional details about each military department’s guidance as related to alternative fuels, see appendix I. ) Strategy (May 1, 2015). select federal agencies—including DOD—to sponsor research that specifically targets alternative jet fuel development or provide direct support for its future commercial production, or both. For example, we described multiple non-DOD research and development projects that provide federal support for helping to develop technologies and processes necessary for the commercial production of biofuels. Regarding DOD, we noted DOD’s activities to test and approve alternative jet fuel, in particular. In addition, we underscored that while federal government activities help to address the main challenge of alternative jet fuel’s price-competitiveness, it is market factors that affect the long-term commercial viability of alternative jet fuels. The Defense Production Act (DPA) generally provides the authority to, among other things, expedite and expand the supply of critical resources from the U.S. industrial base to support the national defense. Title III of the Act—Expansion of Productive Capacity and Supply—allows military and civilian agencies to provide a variety of financial incentives to domestic firms to invest in production capabilities, so as to ensure that the domestic industrial and technological base is capable of meeting the national defense needs of the United States.Title III authorizes the president to provide for the following in order to create, maintain, protect, expand, or restore domestic industrial base capabilities essential for the national defense: purchases of or commitments to purchase an industrial resource or encouragement of exploration, development, and mining of critical and strategic materials, and other materials; development of production capabilities; and increased use of emerging technologies in security program applications and rapid transition of emerging technologies. Use of the authorities is subject to conditions and requirements established by statute. For example, prior to using the above DPA authorities, the president must determine that the industrial resource, material, or critical technology item is essential to the national defense, that U.S. industry cannot reasonably be expected to provide the capability in a timely manner, and that purchases, purchase commitments, or other actions are the most cost effective, expedient, and practical alternative method for meeting the need. According to DOD officials, the focus of Title III is to establish commercially viable industrial capabilities that will continue to prosper after federal government assistance ends. The DPA fund manager is the Secretary of Defense. Within DOD, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics provides guidance to implement the DPA and monitors the Title III program. III program and maintains a program office to manage and administer aspects of individual Title III projects. Program Office activities include conducting market research and analysis when assessing potential Title III projects; monitoring the technical and business performance of firms receiving Title III financial incentives; and overseeing aspects of contracting for Title III projects. See Department of Defense Directive 4400.01E, Defense Production Act Programs, paras. 4.1.2, 4.1.10 (Oct. 12, 2001) (certified as current as of Sept. 14, 2007). According to DOD, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics is assisted by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manufacturing & Industrial Base Policy) and the Program Director of the Defense Production Act Title III Program. DOD has purchased small quantities of alternative fuels for research, development, and demonstration purposes but not large quantities for military operations yet.