Myanmar’s military junta consumed more than 1.2 million gallons of aviation fuel in a single month to carry out an estimated 2,400 flight missions, according to data released by the activist group Blood Money.
The report, published on May 7, tracks the operational costs of the junta’s aerial campaign between July 16 and August 15, 2025. During this 30-day window, the air force reportedly spent over $3 million (£2.4m) on imperial gallons of fuel to sustain its fleet of fighter jets, transport planes, and helicopters.
The data suggests a high-tempo operational cycle focused heavily on strike capabilities:
- Fighter Jets: Accounted for the largest share of consumption, using over 620,000 gallons across 1,272 sorties.
- Transport and Bombers: Utilised roughly 560,000 gallons over 912 missions.
- Attack Helicopters: Flew 189 missions, consuming nearly 40,000 gallons.
“Previous research from groups like Nyan Lynn Thit Analytica shows that the vast majority of these air strikes target civilian populations,” a former military officer now with the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) told MPA. “Essentially, the military is spending at least $3 million of the people’s money every month to fund the slaughter of those very people.”
The expenditure for this period, while significant, actually represents a slight decrease from the preceding month (June 16 – July 15, 2025), when the military reportedly spent nearly $4 million on 1.56 million gallons of fuel.
The sustained high cost of these operations highlights the junta’s reliance on airpower to compensate for significant territorial losses on the ground to ethnic armed groups and People’s Defence Forces (PDFs).
The report from Blood Money adds weight to ongoing international calls for a total ban on the supply of aviation fuel to Myanmar. Human rights organisations argue that without access to international fuel markets and the foreign currency to purchase it, the junta’s ability to carry out the deadly air strikes that have devastated villages and displaced millions would be severely curtailed.
As the conflict continues, the focus remains on the financial networks and international suppliers that allow the Myanmar Air Force to keep its “killing machines” in the sky.
