It must be a quiet news day, since one of our bulletins had a segment on this tonight
Apart from the "Hollywood stunt pilot"
, it was fairly informative, answering most of the questions raised here.
It requires to be captured airborne, since the package may not survive a parachute landing: with $$millions invested, this is a one off capture, apparently.
The hook arrangement shown in the photo is only part of the system: as the hook engages the parachute, it disconnects from the boom, and the hook then falls away on a line attached to the helicopter (probably the cargo hook strong point?). Thus, the captured parachute & payload remains suspended some 100 - 150ft below the Squirrel, to be returned "gently" to earth.
Interesting, although being a news report, not necessarily accurate. According to the same report, the Squirrel climbed to 17,000ft (yes, FL170!!) to drop a practice payload, then chased it all the way down to recapture it.
