Fulton surface-to-air recovery system

The Fulton surface-to-air recovery system (STARS) is a system used by the United States Air Force and United States Navy for retrieving persons on the ground from a MC-130E Combat Talon I aircraft. This system was developed by inventor Robert Edison Fulton, Jr. for the CIA in the early 1950s and was first utilized by the Joint Advisory Commission, Korea ("JACK" for short).

Operation
The Fulton system involves using an overall-type harness and a self-inflating balloon which carries an attached lift line. An MC-130E engages the line with its V-shaped yoke and the individual is reeled on board. Red flags on the lift line guide the pilot during daylight recoveries; lights on the lift line are used for night recoveries. Recovery kits were designed for one and two-man recoveries.

Use by Naked Snake/Big Boss
During the 1964 Virtuous Mission, Naked Snake was set to use the Fulton system to escape from Tselinoyarsk with Nikolai Stephanovich Sokolov. Naked Snake's nickname, Jack, was also the acronym for the Joint Advisory Commission, Korea, the organization which first used the system, during the Korean War, which was remarked upon by his C.O., Major Zero. However, due to the mission's failure, Snake was the only one to escape with it.

The Fulton recovery system was employed extensively by Big Boss's Militaires Sans Frontieres in the 1970s. During the Peace Walker Incident, it was used to capture downed enemy soldiers, rescue prisoners of war, and to extract personnel from combat zones, using UH-1D Iroquois helicopters.

A special sleep gas landmine, an improvised Carl Gustav recoilless rifle, and an electromagnetic net marker were also developed to work in conjunction with the system. The landmine and Carl Gustav provided easier methods of capturing personnel while the electromagnetic net markers could be used to capture enemy land vehicles with four Fulton balloons. Supply drops were also deployed by Fulton balloon.

During the MSF's deployment to Costa Rica, an unknown group also attempted to use the Fulton system, in order to extract enemy personnel. The MSF thwarted these attempts by shooting down the balloons in various so-called "Pooyan Missions."

Behind the scenes
In Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, there was originally to have been various illustrations demonstrating how the Fulton system was to be used, but it was cut in the final version.

The player's squad in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus can use the Fulton system to escape their current mission, provided that one is procured during "Infinity Mission."

In Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, the Fulton Recovery System is used to capture enemy soldiers or rescue POWs. To capture soldiers, they must be tranquilized, unconscious, held up, or near death before they can be placed on recovery balloon. Note that capturing soldiers at near death status will have them placed in Sickbay with [Wounds].

There are three ways to use Fulton recovery in Peace Walker:
 * Fulton Recovery System: This equipment straps a recovery balloon to the target. R&D can increase it up to Rank 5, increasing capacity per mission. At higher ranks, items will drop from recovered soldiers.
 * Fulton Sleep Gas Mine: Upon triggering, the mine releases a sleeping gas and automatically straps a recovery balloon on any in range. Be advised that getting too close can knock Snake/MSF soldiers out.
 * Carl Gustav M2 (Fulton Recovery): This Carl Gustav rocket launcher is outfitted with Fulton recovery rounds, allowing it to capture enemies at range. Ammunition is limited though and may alert others to your presence.

The Fulton Recovery System also allows the recovery of personnel from building interiors and underground areas, although support markers do not work in these same environments.

The Extra Ops "Pooyan Missions" are based on the 1982 arcade game Pooyan, manufactured by Stern Electronics under license from Konami. Sound effects and music from the game are used throughout the missions.

Appearances

 * Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
 * Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus
 * Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker