IAF to perform take-off, landing drills on Ganga Expressway in UP on Friday

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will conduct a crucial trial on Friday on a 3.5-km airstrip of the under-construction Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur. According to a press statement issued on Thursday, advanced fighter jets like the Rafale, Jaguar, and Mirage will perform take-off and landing drills, including night operations, to assess the expressway's viability as an alternative runway during emergencies.

This airstrip is the first in India designed for both day and night fighter landings, boosting defence preparedness and serving as a training base, the statement said.

High-level security measures are in place with 250 CCTV cameras installed, and key officials will be in attendance, it said.


The air show will have daytime and night phases, testing low fly-pasts, landings, and take-offs, it said.

Participating aircraft include the Rafale, SU-30 MKI, Mirage-2000, MiG-29, Jaguar, C-130J Super Hercules, AN-32, and MI-17 V5 helicopter.

The Ganga Expressway will be Uttar Pradesh's fourth expressway with an airstrip, but the first with night landing capability, according to the statement.