Thaindian News

London, April 25 (ANI): Female troops in the US military still wear clothing and protective gear specially designed for men.

However, they won’t have to wait for long as a women’s combat uniform to replace the existing unisex one is close to getting implemented.

The Pentagon is road testing its first ever range of combat uniforms designed specifically for female recruits.

The most important feature is said to be a redesigned crotch. The camouflaged uniforms are made in way that allows female soldiers to urinate without the inconvenience of having to disrobe, reports the Independent.

Seven hundred outfits, which have shorter sleeves and with knee pads in the right place for their generally shorter legs, are currently being tested at Fort Belvoir in Virgina.

Roughly 14 percent of the members of America’s armed forces are women.

The move to design uniforms, which cater to their particular needs, comes at a time when roles on the battlefield are being re-evaluated for the modern era.

Female aviators face difficulty attending to the call of nature when wearing outfits built around the requirements of male plumbing.

Many opt to avoid drinking water before flights, which makes dehydration a hazard. Pilots who get into the habit of waiting for too long to use the bathroom can also experience urinary problems.

Since news of the project has already led to moustache-twitching among traditionalists, Major Sequana Robinson, who is working on the trial of new kit at Fort Belvoir, was at pains to stress the new outfits would not unduly showcase female curves.

“It is not, not a form-fitting uniform,” she said. “It’s just a uniform that’s based on female body dimensions. It’s less material because women are different than men,” she said. (ANI)