From the Local:  The Swedish JAS Gripen aircraft deployed in Sicily as part of NATO’s Libya mission remained grounded on Thursday as the fuel available is suitable only for US navy aircraft. …

The Gripen were due to participate in their first mission over Libya on Thursday but this has now been delayed and test flights have been postponed.

According to the outline plan, the eight aircraft were all due to monitor the UN no-fly zone over the civil-war torn country from Thursday but on arrival at the base they discovered that no fuel was available.

The Sigonella base is designed as a naval air force base, lieutenant colonal Mats Brindsjö, head of the Swedish Air Operation Center, said.

"And US navy aircraft use somewhat different fuel to that which we use in our planes," he told the TT news agency.

The US fuel variety is known as JP5 while the Gripen normally fly using a civil fuel known as Jet A1.  (photo: Ola Nilsson/FL01)

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