Context:
The Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted a powerful demonstration of fighter jet operations on a newly constructed 3.5-kilometre-long airstrip located along the Ganga Expressway in Peeru village, Jalalabad tehsil, Shahjahanpur district.
More on News:
- This event marked a key step in boosting military readiness amid rising security concerns.
- This is the first expressway airstrip in the country designed to support both day and night fighter jet landings, thanks to advanced on-site lighting and navigation systems.
- The airstrip is located on the 594-kilometre-long Ganga Expressway, which connects Meerut to Prayagraj.
- With 85% of the expressway’s construction already finished, this airstrip becomes the fourth operational stretch on a UP Expressway designated for Indian Air Force use, joining facilities on the Agra-Lucknow, Purvanchal, and Bundelkhand Expressways.
- The Ganga Expressway is the first among these to support night operations.
- The IAF conducted fighter jet exercises at the Shahjahanpur airstrip in two phases.
- The exercise featured aircraft like the Rafale, Sukhoi-30 MKI, Mirage-2000, MiG-29, Jaguar, C-130J Super Hercules, AN-32 transport aircraft, and MI-17 V5 helicopters.
- IAF fighter jets performed flypasts over the expressway as part of a larger exercise aimed at evaluating the airstrip’s potential as an alternate runway during wartime or national emergencies.
- Take-off and landing drills were conducted throughout the day and into the night, testing the airstrip’s full operational range, including its night-time capabilities, demonstrating the IAF’s readiness for nocturnal missions.
- The airstrip has been constructed with specially engineered materials to withstand the weight and stress of heavy military aircraft.
- It is equipped with precision approach lighting, reinforced pavement, and CAT II Instrument Landing System (ILS) technology to enable safe operations in low-visibility and night conditions.