F-22 Pilot Suit Exceeds Air Force Cold-Water Test Requirements

SEATTLE, Sept. 22, 1995 -- U.S. Air Force pilots of the future have a better chance of surviving emergency ejections over cold water, thanks to an advanced protective suit designed by Boeing and M.E.T.A. Research, Inc. for F-22 fighter pilots.

In cold-water immersion tests conducted earlier this year, the body temperature of volunteer test subjects wearing the suit fell no more than a fraction of a degree after the volunteers spent two hours submerged in water measuring a cool 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Body temperature responded similarly when volunteers sat for two hours in a life raft in water nearing a frigid 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

The tests exceeded Air Force requirements that body temperature -- which normally is 98.6 F -- not drop below 96.8 F after two hours. In comparison tests, suits now used by the Air Force allowed body temperature to drop below the minimum within an hour and a half.

"Our system reduces the risk of hypothermia so pilots have a better chance of survival if they're forced to eject over cold water," said Mike McGrady, Boeing lead engineer for the F-22 life-support system.

The suit is designed for wear by F-22 pilots who embark upon missions that take them over cold bodies of water or into chemical/biological warfare situations. In addition to cold-water immersion protection, the suit provides flame protection, chemical/biological-warfare protection and ventilation.

"All of the F-22 life-support elements have been designed to integrate correctly and not encumber the pilot," McGrady said. "Current suits can get pretty encumbering, especially when a pilot is climbing into the cockpit. They can also restrict the pilot's mobility in flight and can overheat a pilot. All of these factors affect pilot efficiency."

An unprecedented feature of the new suit is the adjustable neck and wrist seals that can be loosened or tightened. The rubberized seals on current suits are tight and cause discomfort during missions.

A feature unique to the suit is the capability for the pilot to adjust the temperature and flow of air to the inside of the suit while in flight to achieve body cooling. A cooling line in the suit distributes cool air over the entire body, minimizing the loss of body fluid through perspiration.

The life-support system includes inflatable mitts and a hood that give added protection against cold water, and gloves that insulate against chemical and biological agents.

While the suit has been designed for the F-22, it is compatible with current Air Force and Navy life-support equipment. It has potential use by U.S. military ground forces for both cold-water exposure and chemical/biological environments.

"The Air Force has said they would like one life-support system for all fighter airplanes," McGrady said. "We believe this suit, as well as the rest of the F-22 life-support hardware, is ideally suited to serve as the standard."

Boeing is working closely with M.E.T.A. Research, a British Columbia-based supplier of cold-water survival clothing, to make the F-22 suit the most protective and the least constraining ever designed for fighter pilots. M.E.T.A. Research has designed gear for the U.S. Coast Guard, Canadian military forces, and commercial boaters and fishermen. Qualification testing will be complete in late 1996.

Boeing is teamed with Lockheed Martin to design and build the F-22 air-superiority fighter for the Air Force. In addition to the life-support system, Boeing is responsible for the F-22's wings, aft fuselage, radar and other significant portions of the avionics, avionics integration, fire protection and training.

First flight of the F-22 is scheduled for May 1997.