airlift

Intermediate 🎖️ Military / Defense

Definition

Emergency transportation of troops, civilians, or supplies by aircraft when ground routes are compromised, destroyed, or simply too slow. Think of it as Amazon Prime for war zones and disaster areas, except the delivery drones are C-130 cargo planes. The Berlin Airlift made it famous; humanitarian crises keep it relevant.

Example Usage

The military conducted an airlift operation to evacuate embassy personnel as the capital fell to rebel forces.

Source: Military aviation terminology

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