"We put three zip-lock bags in with the rations, so the person can break it up into three separate meals and easily store unused portions in the uniform pockets, wherever is most comfortable and fits the best," he explained. "The beverage mix included with the rations is in a flexible package so you can reconstitute it right in the package and consume it directly from the package."
Tube food, another type of ration, has been provided for the Air Force's U-2 long-range surveillance aircraft pilots during their reconnaissance flights. According to Air Force officials, the U-2 is the most difficult aircraft to fly because of its unusually challenging takeoff and landing characteristics. Due to its high-altitude mission, pilots must wear full pressure suits.
The Combat Feeding program, in a joint effort with the Air Force Research Lab, developed two foods that actually enhance the pilots' cognitive performance.
After the pilots have been flying their aircraft for a long period of time, they can become lethargic and sluggish when they try to land. Darsch explained that adding a certain naturally occurring food ingredient to the tube foods ensures a safe landing.
The Natick research center also has launched a robust program to upgrade food- distribution systems for the Navy fleet. Darsch described how they recently used a new modular process to install a piece of food-distribution equipment on two Los Angeles-class submarines.
In the past, crewmembers would have had to cut up the equipment deckside and lower in the pieces one at a time through a 30-inch hatch and reassemble all of those pieces down in the galley, he said. This old process required up to 500 man-hours. And once everything was put back together, it didn't always work or didn't work as well as intended.
The Combat Feeding program worked with a commercial company to come up with equipment designed and built in modules.
"The new idea is to lower the modules down through the hatch and then put the pieces together again, like LEGOs, in the galley," Darsch said. "This now reduces the 500 man-hours down to a possible less than 75 man-hours to complete this task. And now, everything works the way it is supposed to work."
The bottom line, he concluded, is that the Combat Feeding program covers the gamut of everything required for feeding the armed forces "from deep sea to deep space."
