I was originally thinking that these HDRs in places like Afghanistan were air dropped on pallets all wrapped up in yards of plastic wrap and land by parachute. But doing more reading, apparently the individual HDRs were just dumped out of the plane loose, and the packaging is designed so the meals "flutter" to the ground, slowing them down just enough to keep the bags from spliting open on impact.

Well, gee, that delivery method sure sounds like what happens when you drop a cluster bomb, too. No wonder the fear of people getting the two mixed up!