Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions protects parachutists in distress but not airborne troops. Some infantry fighting vehicles have been modified for paradropping with infantry to provide heavier firepower. Formations of airborne forces are limited only by the number and size of their transport aircraft; a sizeable force can appear "out of the sky" behind enemy lines in mere hours, if not minutes, an action known as vertical envelopment. Airborne forces typically lack enough supplies for prolonged combat and are therefore used to establish an airhead, bringing in larger forces before carrying out other combat objectives. The main advantage of airborne forces is their ability to be deployed into combat zones without land passage, as long as the airspace is accessible. Parachute-qualified infantry and support personnel serving in airborne units are also known as paratroopers. Airborne forces are ground combat units carried by aircraft and airdropped into battle zones, typically by parachute drop.
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