Military carries out night exercise with fighter aircraft at airstrip along Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur district
Armed Forces Dance the Night Away on Shahjahanpur's Expressway Runway
Witness the spectacle in the wee hours of Shahjahanpur as the Indian Air Force wowed with a night-time spree of fighter jet operations right on India's first expressway airstrip! Now, that's not your average evening traffic halt!
From 7 pm to 10 pm on Friday, the sky glowed with the silhouettes of Rafale, Sukhoi, Jaguar, and Mirage-2000, putting on a stunning show of touch-and-go landings and combat simulations. And it wasn't just the locals who caught a glimpse—over 1,000 sanitation workers and Panchayati Raj personnel were on standby to ensure no unwanted guests (like obstructions or animals) gatecrashed the party.
But this wasn't just a nocturnal joyride; it served a strategic purpose. With tensions running high between India and Pakistan following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, the night drill showed we're ready to counter cross-border threats. The presence of frontline jets like Rafale, MiG-29, and Sukhoi-30 MKI underscored India's readiness to hit back when necessary.
The airstrip near the VIP camp, designed to handle day-night military operations, demonstrated our defense preparedness. With the expressway's airstrip network growing, we'd have alternative runways during wars or emergencies, making us more resilient.
Now that the airstrip is equipped for 24/7 operational capability, it opens doors for dual-use infrastructure. Uttar Pradesh has big plans for the area, aiming to build an industrial hub to boost employment and be prepared for disaster response and military logistics.
So the next time you take a drive down the Ganga Expressway, remember, you never know what dazzling display the sky might put on!
- Remarkable as it may be, India's cricket fields might not hold the only spectacles in Shahjahanpur, as the landscape could also witness top-notch tactical maneuvers by the Indian Air Force.
- In a strategic move, the IAF recently confirmed nearly 3 hours of combat simulations and precision landings by Rafale, Sukhoi, Jaguar, and Mirage-2000 aircraft, demonstrating our readiness to respond to cross-border threats.
- The success of this operation relied on the vigilance of more than 1,000 local sanitation workers and Panchayati Raj personnel, who ensured the airstrip remained obstruction-free during the drill.
- India's defense capabilities have expanded yet again, as the expressway's airstrip network, now including the VIP camp's airstrip, confirms our nation's preparedness to handle emergencies or combat situations more effectively.
