Sherpa – metaphorically, as in trade name of Mist Mobility Integrated Systems Technology , Inc.in Ottawa, Canada, not “Sherpa” as high-altitude Nepalese ethnic group, famous as guides on Everest and other climbs.
(Photos via Military.Com, credit USMC Staff Sgt. Bill Lisbon)
Military.Com has adapted articles by Maj. John M. O’Regan and Benjamin Rooney for the Army Soldier Systems Center, and Staff Sgt. Bill Lisbon for the USMC 1st Force Service Support Group for this piece about the Sherpa, which is followed by an explanatory piece by Eric Daniel (no internal link; scroll to bottom of the page.
NB: This particular system is new – and, frankly, we don’t know much about the entire subject of dropping packages by air, which (1) is a critical capability in war and in civilian disaster, (2) has risks and costs, and (3) you’d rather avoid by having the logistical situation in hand beforehand – having said all that, this system uses GPS and probably reduces the risks attendant with dropping things out of planes. There’s a reason that kids like throwing things out of high windows – and reasons they get in trouble for it. More on JPADS and airborne cargo drops as we learn it.