The Air Force has reportedly signed an agreement with Pacific Gas and Electric Company to explore the possibility of harnessing the power of waves off of Vandenberg Air Force Base on the central California coast to generate large amounts of electricity. The San Francisco Chronicle reported Dec. 12 that the company aims to launch a three-year study of the proposed wave-power project, which, if approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, could one day generate up to 100 megawatts of electricity. The coastal area around Vandenberg is considered attractive for power generation since the waters swell from different directions, according to the Chronicle. Wave-power systems normally consist of buoys on the water’s surface that generate electricity as they bob up and down.
The Air Force is spending heavily on F-22 improvements through the end of the decade, suggesting it may not retire the jet in 2030 as it previously planned. New sensors, fuel tanks, communications, and electronic warfare systems are among the upgrades that comprise the package.