The Air Force is studying whether it is economically, environmentally, and politically feasible to extract offshore oil and gas from land sites on Vandenberg AFB, Calif., according to a service release. Air Force Space Command and the Air Force Civil Engineering Center will perform this “opportunity assessment” over the next several months, states the command’s release. If the Air Force deems the drilling to be feasible, service officials may consider an enhanced use lease with a private developer for extraction of the offshore oil and gas. The Air Force’s “primary concern is not affecting” Vandenberg’s space and launch missions, states the July 17 release. Over the past decade, several oil companies and elected state and federal officials have asked the Air Force to consider extended-reach slant drilling from Vandenberg to reach the offshore oil deposits, states the release.
The Air Force trimmed 120 airplanes from its fleet in fiscal 2021, gaining the most aircraft among its F-35 fighter squadrons and giving up the most from its B-1 bomber units, according to data provided by the Air Force. With puts and takes, the Air Force’s kinetic shooter fleet, not…