US Army purchases 15 Vita Rescue Systems

The US Army has procured a set of 15 Vita Rescue Systems (VRS) from Denver-based helicopter load stabilization hardware developer Vita Inclinata Technologies.

The equipment, which is designed to stabilize helicopter loads through ‘reduced exposure times in a hover, improved safety through the elimination of spin, swing and sway of items on the hoist’, will be evaluated by the Army for operational effectiveness and suitability for medical evacuation (medevac) and search and rescue missions.

The VRS sets will be delivered to the US Army’s Aeromedical Research Lab at Fort Rucker, Alabama, for environmental, before being used in operational testing.

In addition, various US Army National Guard Units and Active Duty Combat Aviation Brigades will review the VRS for operational user evaluation. The review phase will gather input on the VRS’s performance, including evaluating for potential improvements.

The testing’s primary purpose is to assess the technology’s functionality in improving rescue mission outcomes in both combat and domestic situations, but is also intended to explore potential new applications and mission areas for the VRS.

“Just three years ago, Vita was speaking about a concept; a concept that PD MEDEVAC now defines as a dual-use technology for potential adoption within the Department of Defense,” said Caleb Carr, President and CEO of Vita. “Everyone at Vita has performed relentless work to bring this capability to reality.”