IAF Conducts Landing, Take-Off Exercises On Uttar Pradesh’s Ganga Expressway

In a significant development in India's defence preparedness, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is conducting take-off and landing exercises today (2 May) on a 3.5-kilometre-long airstrip on the under-construction Ganga expressway in Uttar Pradesh's Shahjahanpur.

The exercise is being organised to assess the expressway’s potential as an alternative runway during times of war or national emergencies, news agency ANI reported.

The IAF showcased its operational readiness with take-off and landing exercises with its advanced fighter and transport aircraft, including the Rafale, Jaguar, and Mirage.

This is the first road runway in India equipped to handle both day and night landings of fighter jets due to advanced lighting and navigation systems installed on-site.

Around 250 CCTV cameras have been installed on both the sides of the airstrip.

The airstrip is part of the 594-kilometre-long Ganga Expressway connecting Meerut to Prayagraj.

To facilitate the event, the IAF assumed operational control of the airstrip, with Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) officials working jointly with Air Force personnel.

The air show will be conducted in two phases--during the day and at night--to test the strip's night landing capabilities.

Fighter jets will fly as low as one metre above ground, followed by landing and take-off manoeuvres.

With 85 percent of the expressway construction completed, this airstrip is the fourth operational stretch on a UP expressway designed for Indian Air Force operations, after those on the Agra-Lucknow, Purvanchal, and Bundelkhand expressways.

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