WASHINGTON — The U.S. military is examining ways to reduce costs of operating air platforms, particularly in the Middle East.

Officials said the Air Force was examining the prospect of expanding the use of simulators to reduce training flights. They said the Air Force has encountered a $600 million increase in fuel costs for every $10 rise in the price of a barrel of oil.

"But, is there a way for us to get at some of that combat-skills training and do it by burning less fossil fuel?" Gen. John Corley, commander of Air Combat Command, asked.

In a June 19 address to the 2008 Joint Warfighting Conference, Corley, who is also air component chief for U.S. Joint Forces Command, said the military service was examining a switch to alternative fuels, Middle East Newsline reported. The general, who did not identify the alternative fuels, termed this "Plan B."

Corley said the soaring fuel budget has highlighted the decline of the aging U.S. air combat fleet. He said the service must develop advanced virtual training systems and new ways to power aircraft.

"But, as a mitigation strategy in the near term, I've got to also deliver on increased combat capability, perhaps by flying less, and that is a terrifying thought for an airman," Corley said.

The general also said the air force was expanding its unmanned aerial vehicle fleet. He said the air force has requested additional funds to accelerate UAV production while planning for unmanned air combat platforms.

"There is an appetite for unmanned aerial systems, and in my mind, I think that will continue unabated," Corley said. "If we use them as weapons, can we use them as replacements for some of our historic tactical aviation assets?"

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