When might I use or be exposed to diesel, JP- 5, or JP- 8 fuels when I deploy? Diesel fuel is routinely used in military ground equipment and many tracked and wheeled vehicles. JP- 8 is used in fixed-wing and rotary–winged aircraft, although the Navy uses JP-5 for aircraft on carriers. JP-8 is sometimes used as an alternative fuel in those vehicles that routinely use diesel. Outside the U.S., in locations that use the “single fuel on the battlefield” concept, JP-8 is used for fixed and rotary wing aircraft and for most vehicles, except cars and small trucks. Since most military engines can use either fuel, JP-8 can be used for tracked and wheeled vehicles, generators, furnaces, and even to start fires in burn barrels or open burning of trash.