Military planes and toilets

Which aircraft uses toilets?

Everybody knows that toilets are not only on the ground, but you might not know they can even be on military planes.

Private bathroom compartments are already a standard on several Air Force aircraft. A urinal and toilet are tucked away in the cargo section of the C-130 Hercules, with curtain curtains that can close over them. According to Air Force Materiel Command spokesperson Brian Brackens, C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft and KC-46 Pegasus tankers, instead, have a full bathroom with sink, toilet, and lockable door. In contrast, KC-135 Stratotanker, KC-10 Extender, and C-5 Super Galaxy aircraft all have lockable doors.

However, those mobility planes are far more capacious on the inside than their bomber counterparts, allowing for more comfortable latrine use.

According to Popular Mechanics, the B-1 bomber has a little toilet behind the left front seat of its four-person cockpit, while the B-2 stealth bomber has “one stainless-steel bowl, no walls” behind the right seat of its two-pilot cockpit.

A small urinal is located behind the offense compartment in the B-52. According to the Air Force, a B-52 normally includes two pilots, a weapons officer, and an electronic warfare officer, but can have up to five crew members.

However, crew members must defecate in a bag and dispose of it once the bomber’s mission is completed. Now, the U.S. Air Force is looking to add privacy curtains to its B-52 Stratofortress bombers since more women join flight crews. But it’s not the sole solution to meet female pilots’ needs.

Source military.com