A method for transporting a cargo load using a carrier aircraft, the method comprising: mounting a shield on the cargo load such that the shield is supported by the cargo load to form a protected load; and aerial transporting the protected load as a slung load from the carrier aircraft, wherein the shield serves to protect the cargo load from aerodynamic loads generated by flight of the carrier aircraft; wherein: a) the cargo load is a vehicle including a windshield, the shield includes a windshield section, and mounting the shield on the cargo load includes mounting the shield on the vehicle such that the windshield section covers and is spaced apart from the windshield to protect the windshield from aerodynamic loads generated by flight of the carrier aircraft; and/or b) the shield includes a flexible panel perforated with a plurality of flow openings, and mounting the shield on the cargo load includes mounting the shield on the cargo load such that the flexible panel covers and is spaced apart from the cargo load to protect the cargo load from aerodynamic loads generated by flight of the carrier aircraft and the shield permits a portion of the aerodynamic load generated by flight of the carrier aircraft to be applied to the cargo load through the flow openings; and/or c) mounting the shield on the cargo load includes securing the shield to the cargo load using straps (152, 154, 156, 158) secured to the cargo load at selected attachment points on the cargo load. mounting a shield on the cargo load such that the shield is supported by the cargo load to form a protected load; and aerial transporting the protected load as a slung load from the carrier aircraft, wherein the shield serves to protect the cargo load from aerodynamic loads generated by flight of the carrier aircraft; wherein: a) the cargo load is a vehicle including a windshield, the shield includes a windshield section, and mounting the shield on the cargo load includes mounting the shield on the vehicle such that the windshield section covers and is spaced apart from the windshield to protect the windshield from aerodynamic loads generated by flight of the carrier aircraft; and/or b) the shield includes a flexible panel perforated with a plurality of flow openings, and mounting the shield on the cargo load includes mounting the shield on the cargo load such that the flexible panel covers and is spaced apart from the cargo load to protect the cargo load from aerodynamic loads generated by flight of the carrier aircraft and the shield permits a portion of the aerodynamic load generated by flight of the carrier aircraft to be applied to the cargo load through the flow openings; and/or c) mounting the shield on the cargo load includes securing the shield to the cargo load using straps (152, 154, 156, 158) secured to the cargo load at selected attachment points on the cargo load. a) the cargo load is a vehicle including a windshield, the shield includes a windshield section, and mounting the shield on the cargo load includes mounting the shield on the vehicle such that the windshield section covers and is spaced apart from the windshield to protect the windshield from aerodynamic loads generated by flight of the carrier aircraft; and/or b) the shield includes a flexible panel perforated with a plurality of flow openings, and mounting the shield on the cargo load includes mounting the shield on the cargo load such that the flexible panel covers and is spaced apart from the cargo load to protect the cargo load from aerodynamic loads generated by flight of the carrier aircraft and the shield permits a portion of the aerodynamic load generated by flight of the carrier aircraft to be applied to the cargo load through the flow openings; and/or c) mounting the shield on the cargo load includes securing the shield to the cargo load using straps (152, 154, 156, 158) secured to the cargo load at selected attachment points on the cargo load.