The Air Force tested its C-17 Globemaster III on a cross-country flight using a 50-50 blend of JP-8 jet fuel and a synthetic fuel made from liquid coal and natural gas, The Christian Science Monitor said Monday.

"We're making sure the Air Force is ahead of the curve so we can utilize this domestic resource instead of having to be both dependent on foreign sources and send dollars offshore instead of spending the dollars here in the (United States)," Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Kevin Billings told the Monitor.

The synthetic blend burns cleaner than conventional fuel at a cost of $40 to $75 per barrel.

The Air Force set a target date of 2016 to meet half of its U.S. demand with the synthetic blend but some officials see obstacles in the private sector inhibiting more expeditious action, the newspaper reported.

Air Force officials said they will demand the synthetic blend's manufacturers use carbon capture technology to produce a more environmentally friendly product as the manufacturing process emits more harmful byproducts than during the fuel's consumption.