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.
Collaborative Combat Aircraft designs from Anduril and General Atomics passed their Critical Design Reviews early in November, clearing the way for detailed production efforts to get underway, the Air Force said. How future versions will be upgraded is still under discussion.