Lucknow, May 1 (UNI) The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to carry out a landmark trial on the under-construction Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur district in Uttar Pradesh on Friday, official sources said on Thursday.
Sources said that a 3.5-km-long airstrip in Shahjahanpur will showcase its operational readiness as the Air Force conducts take-off and landing exercises involving its most advanced fighter and transport aircraft, including the Rafale, Jaguar and Mirage.
"The air show is being organised to assess the expressway’s potential as an alternative runway during times of war or national emergencies," sources said.
They said that this will be the first airstrip in the country designed to support day and night landings of fighter aircraft, making it a strategic asset for defence preparedness. "It will also serve as the Air Force's training and rehearsal base," they said.
Sources said that to ensure comprehensive security, around 250 CCTV cameras have been installed on both sides of the airstrip. "In preparation for the air show, the IAF has taken over operational control of the airstrip, with personnel from the Air Force and the UP Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) coordinating efforts," they said.
The district administration said that 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 perform low fly-pasts at an altitude of just one meter, followed by landing and take-off drills. The same sequence will be repeated from 7 pm to 10 pm," sources said.
UP's Finance Minister Suresh Khanna, Minister of State for Cooperation JPS Rathore, public representatives and senior Air Force officials will attend the show.
Sources said the major fighter jets participating in this exercise include Rafale, SU-30 MKI, Mirage-2000, MiG-29, Jaguar, C-130J Super Hercules, AN-32 and MI-17 V5 helicopter.
Sources said that the Ganga Expressway is set to become UP's fourth expressway equipped with an airstrip facility.
"Previously, airstrips have been constructed on Agra-Lucknow Expressway in Unnao, Purvanchal Expressway in Sultanpur and Bundelkhand Expressway near Etawah. These strategically located airstrips serve as alternative runways for the IAF during wartime or emergencies," they said.
Sources said that the Ganga Expressway stands out as the first in UP and across the country to offer night landing capabilities. "This advancement will significantly enhance the IAF's ability to conduct operations around the clock," they said.
Sources said the upcoming air show will assess the expressway's readiness for use as an alternate runway and demonstrate the IAF's rapid response capability and strength in executing multi-domain operations.
"This exercise marks a crucial step in reinforcing India's defence preparedness. Leveraging strategic infrastructure, such as the Ganga Expressway, underscores a new era of civil-military synergy and enhances the nation’s military strategy," they said.
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