US Army awards Vita Inclinata $45.6m contract for rescue hoist stabilization system

Vita Inclinata, a developer of intelligent lifting technology for aerospace and industrial construction, has secured a five-year, US$45.6-million indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract from the US Army Utility Helicopter Program Office. The sole-source award designates the company as provider of the Vita Rescue System (VRS), covering delivery, sustainment, and maintenance support across the US Department of War.

Initial fielding will support US Army active-duty and Army National Guard units, accelerating fleetwide deployment following the system’s inclusion on the Army Airworthiness Release.

“This contract is the realization of why we founded Vita,” said Caleb Carr, CEO of Vita Inclinata. “The Vita Rescue System was built for one purpose: to bring people home safely. By enabling deployment across the Department of Defense, this contract ensures more lives will be saved in the most dangerous environments.”

The VRS is an autonomous stabilization system that gives aircrews precise motion control of rescue hoists. By eliminating the need for taglines, it reduces risk to crews, patients, and equipment while shortening time on target. Validated through airworthiness testing, US Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory (USAARL) evaluations, and soldier touch points, the system enables tagline-less hoisting up to four times faster than current tactics, techniques, and procedures.

The waterproof system supports maritime missions and extended operations with swappable batteries, while its autonomous functions help reduce pilot and crew workload during high-risk rescues.

“Our partnership with the forces supported compressed engineering cycles for the product line,” said Derek Sikora, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Vita Inclinata. “Every feature of the VRS was carefully considered, vetted, and tested to meet or exceed the medical evacuation (medevac) mission objectives. This IDIQ contract broadens accessibility of the man–machine teaming solution to the broader force structure.”

The award marks Vita’s first IDIQ with the Department of War and reflects its expanding role in military rescue modernization.

Vita Inclinata announced that the US Air Force Reserve and US Air National Guard would adopt the VRS fleetwide in October 2024.