The Indian Air Force (IAF) showcased its operational readiness with an impressive flypast and landing exercise on the Ganga Expressway in Uttar Pradesh on Friday. The exercise was conducted on a 3.5-kilometre-long airstrip at Shahjahanpur, part of the under-construction expressway.
The drill featured take-offs and landings by advanced fighter and transport aircraft, including the Rafale, Jaguar, and Mirage jets. This strategic operation aimed to assess the expressway’s potential as an alternative runway during wartime or national emergencies.
According to an official statement released on Thursday, the Shahjahanpur airstrip is the first in the country designed to support both day and night landings of fighter aircraft, making it a valuable asset for defence preparedness. It will also serve as a training and rehearsal base for the Air Force.
To ensure robust security, approximately 250 CCTV cameras have been installed on either side of the airstrip. In preparation for the exercise, the Indian Air Force assumed full operational control of the site, in coordination with the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA).
The event is being conducted in two phases—daytime and nighttime—to evaluate the airstrip’s capability for night operations. Fighter jets will perform low fly-pasts at altitudes as low as one meter, followed by take-off and landing drills. The entire sequence will be repeated between 7 PM and 10 PM.
The Ganga Expressway is not only Uttar Pradesh’s first expressway to facilitate night landings but also the first of its kind across India. This milestone marks a significant enhancement in the IAF’s ability to conduct 24/7 operations.
