airdrop -
delivery of supplies or equipment or personnel by dropping them by parachute from an aircraft; "until then, front line troops will be supplied by airdrop"
An airdrop is a type of airlift, developed during World War II to resupply otherwise inaccessible troops, who themselves may have been airborne forces. In some cases, it is used to refer to the airborne assault itself. Early airdrops were conducted by pushing small crates with parachutes out of the aircraft's side cargo doors.
