Air Force wants privacy curtains for B-52 restrooms

The last production B-52 Stratofortress rolled off the assembly line in October 1962, the era of the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Air Force will add new engines and fly the aging workhorse through mid-century alongside the future B-21 Raider stealth bomber, while retiring the swing-wing B-1 Lancer and bat-wing shaped B-2 Spirit, officials say. The B-52 is capable of flying 8,800 miles without refueling and can carry a weapons load of up to 70,000 pounds. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Robert Horstman)

The last production B-52 Stratofortress rolled off the assembly line in October 1962, the era of the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Air Force will add new engines and fly the aging workhorse through mid-century alongside the future B-21 Raider stealth bomber, while retiring the swing-wing B-1 Lancer and bat-wing shaped B-2 Spirit, officials say. The B-52 is capable of flying 8,800 miles without refueling and can carry a weapons load of up to 70,000 pounds. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Robert Horstman)

Sometimes an Airman needs a little privacy, even when flying on one of the mightiest bombers in history.

The Air Force in recent weeks issued a request for information from textile producers about the possibility of restroom curtains for B-52 bomber crews.

“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,” the request issued last month says. “This effort is to provide the necessary rest room privacy capability.”

A B-52 Stratofortress deployed to RAF Fairford, England from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., performs air refueling with a KC-135 Stratotanker from RAF Mildenhall, England June 11, 2014, over the United Kingdom. The B-52 fuel tank can hold up to 312,197pounds of fuel during the refueling mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Christine Griffiths/Released)

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The solicitation offers government furnished flat bungee cord material with steel coated hooks, nylon webbing straps and other materials. The contractor will be expected to provide all required labor, facilities, and certain remaining equipment and material not provided by the government.

The request for the curtain is coming from the contracting office at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma.

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Fighters and Bombers Directorate, headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, is part of the team responsible for keeping the B-52 operational and flying.

The B-52, of course, is an absolutely historic bomber that had played a key role in giving the nation flexible response options during the Cold War and beyond. The physical size, endurance and range of the mighty B-52 has made up to 40-hour missions possible, according to the Air Force.

Since its first flight in 1952, the B-52 Stratofortress has been an Air Force mainstay. Of the 744 built through nine different versions, only 76 B-52Hs remained in service, as of 2016, according to AFLCMC.

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