The Blood Money Campaign has reported that Myanmar’s military has used substantial amounts of aviation fuel during three months of aerial bombing. Fighter jets consumed over 1.94 million Imperial Gallons of fuel, costing more than US$4.16 million.
The group noted in a review of its report last week on military aircraft, that the junta’s jet fighter fleet includes Russian-made Su-30SME, MiG-29, and Yak-130 aircraft; Chinese-made FTC-2000G, F-7M, and A-5; Chinese- and Pakistani co-produced JF-17 and K-8; as well as Serbian-made G-4 aircraft.
In its assessment of fuel consumption, the group used figures in Imperial Gallons (IG), representing the average hourly fuel usage.
The Su-30SME reportedly has the highest fuel consumption at 1,500 IG per hour, followed by the MiG-29 at 900 IG, the JF-17 and F-7M at 600 IG, the A-5 at 550 IG, the Yak-130 at 400 IG, the FTC-2000G at 350 IG, the K-8 at 300 IG, and the G-4 at 200 IG.
These consumption rates are based on recorded flight data. However, actual fuel consumption can increase depending on the weight being carried by the aircraft.
Before the conflict in the Middle East, aviation fuel was priced at approximately US$2.15 per Imperial Gallon. While this is a global average, prices can vary based on transportation distances and the specific location of purchase.
Using these figures, the Blood Money Campaign calculated that fighter jets’ fuel consumption ranges from a minimum of 200 IG to a maximum of 1,500 IG, which costs between US$500 and US$3,500 for a single hour of flight time.
The fuel costs per hour for each aircraft are approximately as follows: US$3,225 for the Su-30SME, US$1,935 for the MiG-29, around US$1,290 for the JF-17 and F-7M, about US$1,180 for the A-5, US$860 for the Yak-130, US$752 for the FTC-2000G, US$645 for the K-8, and approximately US$430 for the G-4.
In total, these amounts translate to more than $4.16 million. It’s important to note that these figures cover fuel costs only and do not include additional expenses for bombs, weaponry, or aircraft maintenance.
