The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday conducted a major operational exercise involving aircraft landing and take-off drills on the Purvanchal Expressway in Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur district, as part of preparations to use national highways as emergency airstrips during wartime or disaster scenarios.

The exercise featured “touch-and-go” operations on a specially developed 3.2-km Emergency Landing Field (ELF) located at Karwal Kheri along the 341-km expressway. During the drill, an IAF transport aircraft was seen taxiing on the highway, followed by a steep approach and smooth landing on the same stretch, demonstrating the viability of the road surface for aviation use under emergency conditions. Spectators and security personnel lined the expressway to observe the rare display.

According to an IAF spokesperson, multiple aircraft participated in the exercise, including Sukhoi Su-30MKI, SEPECAT Jaguar, and Mirage 2000 fighter jets. Transport aircraft such as the Airbus C-295 and Antonov An-32 carried out full landing and take-off operations, while Mi-17 helicopters performed slithering drills. The coordinated activity was aimed at testing operational readiness and rapid deployment capabilities on road-based runways.

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The Emergency Landing Field on the Purvanchal Expressway is part of a broader national strategy to integrate civilian infrastructure into defence preparedness. These ELFs are straight, reinforced highway stretches designed to withstand the weight and stress of military aircraft. Built in coordination with the National Highways Authority of India and the Indian Air Force, they function as regular expressways but can be quickly converted into operational airstrips during emergencies.

India has steadily expanded this network of highway-based airstrips across the country. The first operational ELF was inaugurated in 2021 on National Highway-925A in Barmer, Rajasthan, followed by similar developments in other regions, including the Northeast. The Purvanchal Expressway facility is one of four such sites in Uttar Pradesh, alongside those on the Agra-Lucknow, Bundelkhand, and Ganga Expressways.

Officials said around 28 ELF sites have now been identified across 11 states, with nearly 15 already operational. Many of these are strategically located near border areas and remote regions along India’s western and eastern frontiers, enhancing the country’s ability to maintain air operations even if conventional airbases are compromised.

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