IAF's Rafale, Mirage, Jaguar Perform Landing Drills On Ganga Expressway Airstrip In UP: WATCH

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

Indian Air Force is carrying out a flypast on the Ganga Expressway airstrip in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh.

Source : X@ANI

The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Friday is carrying out a drill on the Ganga Expressway in Uttar Pradesh's Shahjahanpur to test its potential during times of national emergencies. The take-off and landing exercises are being conducted as part of a crucial trial on a 3.5-km airstrip of the 594-kilometre-long under-construction expressway connecting Meerut to Prayagraj.

#WATCH | Shahjahanpur: The Indian Air Force (IAF) is carrying out a flypast on the Ganga Expressway in Uttar Pradesh.

The exercise is being organised to assess the expressway’s potential as an alternative runway during times of war or national emergencies. pic.twitter.com/pg9Sa2QYHU

— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2025

A press statement issued on Thursday noted that 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.

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

A video from the scene showed IAF aircraft conducting flypasts over the expressway.

#WATCH | Shahjahanpur: The Indian Air Force (IAF) carrying out a flypast on the Ganga Expressway in Uttar Pradesh. The Air Force is conducting take-off and landing exercises here.

The exercise is being organised to assess the expressway’s potential as an alternative runway… pic.twitter.com/MugSdRDBHd

— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2025

Similar landing drills have been carried out in the past on the Lucknow-Agra and Purvanchal expressways, but they were limited to daytime operations. What's special about the Ganga Expressway is its capibility to facilitate both day and night landings. "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. 

VIDEO | Uttar Pradesh: Preparations underway for IAF's drill on 3.5-km airstrip of the under-construction Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur. Visuals of an IAF aircraft at the spot.#UPNews #GangaExpressway

(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/krCg0SV4KS

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 2, 2025

The statement further stated that high-level security measures have been made with 250 CCTV cameras installed at the spot to ensure foolproof security and surveillance. Top defence officials were in attendance to witness the drills. Students from various schools and locals also flocked to watch the flight demonstrations on the expressway.

The air show will have daytime and night phases, which will involve testing low fly-pasts, landings, and take-offs. The Ganga Expressway will be the fourth expressway in UP with an airstrip, but the first with night landing capability.

(With inputs from news agency PTI)