Shahjahanpur: The IAF on Friday commenced its much-anticipated “land and go” drill on the 3.5-km stretch of the Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, marking a significant milestone in the country’s defence preparedness.
What sets this expressway stretch apart is its unique capability to facilitate both day and night landings of fighter jets, ”making it the first such airstrip in the country. Until now, similar emergency landing drills have been carried out on the Lucknow-Agra and Purvanchal expressways, but those were limited to daytime operations.
Students from various schools and locals were among those who flocked to watch the awe-inspiring flight demonstrations on the expressway.
According to a News 18 report, a 3.5 km emergency airstrip in Shahjahanpur will be the site of take-off and landing drills on Friday, featuring some of the IAF’s most advanced fighter and transport aircraft, including the Rafale, Jaguar, and Mirage jets.
The airshow will also be used to assess the expressway’s potential as an alternative runway during times of war or national emergencies, added the report
Notably, this will be the country’s first airstrip specifically designed to support both day and night landings of fighter jets, marking a significant boost to defence preparedness. It will also function as a dedicated training and rehearsal base for the Indian Air Force, reported News 18.
