A system for releasing an article such as a munition or store from an aircraft employs a sway brace or cradle built into the structure of a bomb rack from lateral or pitching motion before it is released. A claw mechanism is driven out of the sway braces into the article to hold the article in place on the sway braces. The claws retain the article in the sway braces until the article is no longer influenced by the sway braces.