Modern Technology Solutions, Inc. (MTSI), has announced the introduction of its latest capability. The Rapid Aerial Extraction System (RAES®), a tethered deployment system that dramatically increases the range and speed for payload handling. RAES provides vertical lift hoist-like capability to a fixed-wing aircraft, making traditional aircraft equal to a helicopter without having to land.

“RAES® gives you the speed, range, and economy of a fixed-wing aircraft and the vertical lift hoist-like capability of rotorcraft,” said Ben Bosma, MTSI Principal Engineer. “The system is scalable and can be mounted on a wide variety of aircraft from fighters to transports.”

“The recent RAES® demonstration points to a cost-effective and highly adaptable solution to combat search and rescue in the contested domain,” said Mike Hostage, Gen. (ret), United States Air Force. “The concept may also offer a rapid and covert means of precision insertion and extraction for special operations. The MTSI team is well on its way to producing a game-changing family of capabilities.”

“With the MTSI team’s background in innovative design, rapid prototyping, autonomous systems, military operations, and experimental test, we were able to rapidly integrate existing technologies to move from design to successful demonstration in under four months,” said David Solomon, MTSI Senior Project Manager. “This significant milestone marks the first ever simulated vertical extraction of an isolated person and autonomous return (under chute) from a fixed-wing aircraft. We are excited about the possibilities this technology opens up to augment existing rescue and special cargo missions for the civil and defense markets.”

MTSI Senior Consultant Peter “Pepe” LeHew added, “As a prior Rescue and Special Operations Pilot having flown fixed wing, rotary wing and unmanned aircraft, RAES® is a game-changer. What was previously denied – cargo and mobility operations due to time to respond, threats or detection of my aircraft, as well as an embedded rescue capability for a strike package allowing for response times before our enemy or traditional rescue could even respond – are now possible.”

RAES® consists of a stabilizer, winch, and tether package that is platform agnostic for the intended aircraft, removing the need for any modification. It expands the reach for rescue operations that may have previously been dismissed as it combines the benefits of a helicopter’s agility and a fixed-wing aircraft’s speed, range, and stealth ability.