Military fighter pilots are people who are often spoken of in the spirit of: "iron nerves, steel muscles and no weaknesses." But the truth is that even those who fly the Su-35 at speeds of nearly 2000 km/h have one earthly problem - how to go to the toilet?
And while it seems that over the decades, aircraft construction has thought of everything - from artificial intelligence and stealth technologies, the issue of physiology has remained roughly the same as it was in the days of the MiG-15.
Why this is a problem
The cockpit of a fighter jet has less space than the trunk of a "Zhiguli". There is nowhere to stand up straight, let alone go "to the toilet". Let us recall the altitude, enormous pressure, oxygen mask, and it becomes clear - there is no "WC" button near the instrument panel.
Flights on the Su-27, Su-30SM, Su-35, MiG-31, MiG-29, and now on the latest Su-57, can last from 2 to 5 hours. And if it is combat duty, long-range interception or aerial refueling - even longer. And then the body begins to remind you that it is by no means a titan.
From flask to diaper - the evolution of folk ingenuity
Back in the Soviet years, pilots took the tried and tested path - they endured. But in extreme cases, improvised means were used - flasks or bags.
Modern pilots use special urinal bags - sealed bags with absorbent gel. It turns the liquid into a jelly, preventing it from spilling even under G-forces.
However, even this is not a panacea. A pilot on a Su-34, for example, spends up to six hours in the air. Yes, there is a little more space, but there is still nowhere to maneuver - only maximum self-control and dexterity.
Su-57 - stealth mode, artificial intelligence, and... the same old bag
Russia's most modern fighter, the Su-57, can do almost everything - perform aerobatics, remain invisible to radar and conduct combat on autopilot. But there are still no "bio-amenities" there.
The designers explain it simply: the cockpit is designed for combat missions, not domestic comfort. Every gram of the structure counts. Therefore, the issue is resolved traditionally - "special physiological support systems" and individual packages.
In essence, this is an advanced version of a disposable diaper, only designed for extreme conditions - pressure, vibration and G-forces.
Earlier www1.ru reported that Russian attack aircraft used "drone guns" against drones for the first time.