U.S. Air Force Plans To Add Privacy Curtains To B-52 Bombers For Female Crew Members Who Need To Use The Restroom

As of June 2019, 58 of the Bombers are still in active use, while 18 are in reserve. The fleet went under major upgrades between 2013 and 2015, with the installation of new electronics, communications technology, computing, and avionics. However, no sitting toilets or privacy curtains were added 

Daily Mail: Air Force plans to add privacy curtains to B-52 Bombers for female crew members who need to use the restroom as more women join the ranks - but there is only a urinal onboard 

 * Due to space issues, Boeing B-52 Stratofortress Bombers are not fitted out with a sitting toilet 

 * The Bombers were produced in the 1950s and 60s, when there were only male crew members; as such there is one small urinal installed on each aircraft 

 * There are currently 58 Bombers still in active use and they were given major upgrades between 2013 and 2015 

 * During the upgrades, no curtains were installed, meaning crew continue to urinate and defecate without proper privacy 

 * The Air Force says with more women joining the service there is 'a higher need for privacy during rest room activities' and will soon install curtains 

 * However, with no sitting toilet on board, women will likely have to urinate into bags and bottles, while men can continue to use the urinal 

The Air Force plans to add privacy curtains to its fleet of B-52 Bombers as more women join the military. 

Earlier this month, the Air Force put out a statement soliciting information from textile companies about installing curtains around toilet facilities inside the aircraft. 

'As the B-52 continues to fly long duration missions, especially with mixed crews, there is a higher need for privacy during rest room activities,' officials wrote in the release. 

Read more .... 

Update: Privacy, Please: Air Force Wants to Add Toilet Curtain on B-52 Bomber (Military.com) 

WNU Editor: Currently, there is no sitting toilet in a B-52, crewmembers must defecate into bags and dispose of the waste when they land. But with women now currently making up about 21% of the Air Force, I can see this toilet issue being addressed.

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