The F-22A is the first fighter that can handle a sustained 9.5 g turn. So can the pilots—thanks to a new combination of flight gear. Raptor pilots wear the Combat Edge flight suit, as well as new G-pants, that give them extra endurance under the most punishing forces. The flying gear applies pressure to the body under high-g stress, keeping uninterrupted blood flow to the brain. Pilots still have to do the M-1 maneuver—grunting and straining the diaphragm—to aid tolerance.
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force David R. Wolfe is challenging Airmen with new weekly workouts that are likely to hurt way more than the service’s new fitness test.