Omni Medical Systems, Inc., a firm headquartered in Milton, Vt., has developed a system called the Advanced Mission Extender Device that reportedly allows military pilots flying long missions to easily relieve their bladders rather than not urinating for painfully long periods or using the less convenient standard “piddle packs” of today. The Associated Press reported May 12 via New Hampshire’s Nashua Telegraph that the company has already delivered 300 units to the Air Force and is in talks to provide the system for the Air National Guard. Further, the Navy has bought a handful for testing, according to AP. The company’s website states that the Air Force has approved AMXD on all of its fixed- and rotary-winged aircraft, with testing done on the A-10, F-15, F-16, and F-22. The British Royal Air Force and Royal Netherlands Air Force have also tested the device with helicopter crews, according to the company. The device uses special underwear equipped with a hose that is linked to a pump the size of a paperback book that drains urine into a collection bag, AP reported, explaining that there are different versions for men and women.
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.