IAF’s high-impact drill on Purvanchal Expressway: C-295, fighter jets turn highway into runway

Sultanpur (Uttar Pradesh): The Indian Air Force on Wednesday conducted a high-intensity operational exercise on the Purvanchal Expressway, transforming the highway into a temporary runway as fighter jets and transport aircraft carried out landings, take-offs, and manoeuvres in a powerful display of aerial capability.

The exercise, which began around 2 pm, saw a C-295 transport aircraft make the first landing on the expressway, followed by a Jaguar fighter jet performing aerial manoeuvres. The event drew large crowds along the stretch in Sultanpur, with residents capturing the rare spectacle of low-flying jets and high-speed passes.

Officials said the drill is aimed at evaluating the expressway’s ability to function as an alternative runway during wartime or national emergencies, reinforcing India’s focus on dual-use infrastructure for defence preparedness.

A formation of fighter aircraft, including Sukhoi, Mirage and Tejas jets, also participated in subsequent phases of the exercise, demonstrating coordinated take-offs and landings under operational conditions.

The Purvanchal Expressway, a 340.8-km access-controlled corridor developed by the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), includes a dedicated 3.2-km airstrip near Sultanpur designed for emergency aircraft operations. The facility is part of India’s expanding strategy to integrate critical transport infrastructure with defence requirements.

The expressway, connecting Lucknow to Ghazipur via key districts in eastern Uttar Pradesh, was inaugurated in November 2021 and has since been used for periodic IAF drills to test operational readiness.