Preparations for a leaflet drop are complex. To calculate the precise moment when leaflets must be released to reach a specific target, PSYOP specialists use a mathematical formula that integrates wind speed and direction, calculated at 500-foot intervals from the ground level. The formula also varies according to the dimensions and the weight of the leaflets.
In Somalia, PSYOP personnel packed leaflets for fixed wing aircraft in boxes that were cut along the top, bottom, and sides, Then specially rigged with engineer and masking tape. The boxes, which generally contained between 20,000 and 40,000 leaflets, were hooked to static lines inside the aircraft.
When a mission required fewer leaflets, plastic trash bags were substituted for boxes and hooked to static lines.