Taiwan's military ran a supply airdrop drill to prepare for wartime and major disasters, a neutral-to-positive sign that the island is shoring up its ability to reach cut-off areas.

• The army's logistics command organized the yearly air resupply exercise, pairing paratroop crews with air force C-130 transport planes.
• Crews weighed and packed each bundle, checked straps and safety pins, and cushioned the loads with wooden pallets and honeycomb paper so supplies survive the landing.
• Bundles were then loaded onto the planes in a set order to keep the weight balanced in flight.
• Pilots and navigators surveyed the drop zones from the ground and the air first, then adjusted course and speed for wind on the day.

Outlook: Expect more drills like this as Taiwan builds out ways to move supplies when roads and ports are blocked, whether by a typhoon, an earthquake, or a conflict.