# How accurately can the USAF drop cargo?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-accurately-can-the-usaf-drop-cargo/784103>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 9, 2017, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-accurately-can-the-usaf-drop-cargo/784103 "2017-04-09T06:21:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-accurately-can-the-usaf-drop-cargo/784103/21 "2017-04-11T19:46:32Z")

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> [@Bear\_Nenno](#):
>
> Over a quarter million. Though that cost is probably skewed by the costs associated with RnD and the limited number of systems built. I’m sure it will come down a bit.
> 
> Yes, they are recovered after a drop. Even regular parachutes are intended to be recovered after every drop. There are disposable cargo parachutes now, which are the only ones that don’t have to be turned back in.

Neat. Thank you.

Maybe Amazon will start doing this one day, lawn-dropping groceries from on high.

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**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-accurately-can-the-usaf-drop-cargo/784103/22 "2017-04-11T21:43:03Z")

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> [@Bear\_Nenno](#):
>
> …Actually hitting the plate will be as much luck as anything. The plate will surely be destroyed regardless, of course…

You know what they say, horseshoes and H-bombs…

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**Author:** ![Anita\_Dayoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Anita\_Dayoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anita_Dayoff)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-accurately-can-the-usaf-drop-cargo/784103/23 "2017-04-12T12:42:47Z")

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If you don’t have a parachute attached, you need gallons of military grade anti-gravity spray.  
This was a drop in Germany. Fail is at about :20

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/l-YsSL65quM/hqdefault.jpg "Humvees failed airdrop") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-YsSL65quM)

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**Author:** ![barath\_s](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/90ced4/32.png) [@barath\_s](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barath_s)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-accurately-can-the-usaf-drop-cargo/784103/24 "2017-04-12T14:38:27Z")

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> [@Reply](#):
>
> Neat. Thank you.
> 
> Maybe Amazon will start doing this one day, lawn-dropping groceries from on high.

At S&H of $ 273,000, those better be pearl encrusted groceries.

Cf: Cleopatra’s [dinner bet](http://www.nbcnews.com/id/38536846/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/cleopatra-pearl-cocktail-proven-possible/), estimated to have cost [$30 million](http://hoaxes.org/weblog/comments/cleopatra_pearl_vinegar) today

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**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-accurately-can-the-usaf-drop-cargo/784103/25 "2017-04-12T18:54:24Z")

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> [@Anita\_Dayoff](#):
>
> If you don’t have a parachute attached, you need gallons of military grade anti-gravity spray.  
> This was a drop in Germany. Fail is at about :20  
> [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-YsSL65quM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-YsSL65quM)

I’ll see you, and[raise you one.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1izGSMKqskY)

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**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2017, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-accurately-can-the-usaf-drop-cargo/784103/26 "2017-04-13T18:57:01Z")

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> [@Anita\_Dayoff](#):
>
> If you don’t have a parachute attached, you need gallons of military grade anti-gravity spray.  
> This was a drop in Germany. Fail is at about :20  
> [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-YsSL65quM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-YsSL65quM)

That was an act of sabotage from a disgruntled soldier.

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