Updated: December 10, 2017 12:24 AM IST 
Agra, Oct 24: As part of the touchdown exercise, as many as 20 aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) will land on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway near Bangarmau in Unnao district on Tuesday morning. The aircraft include the deep penetration strike aircraft Jaguar, multirole fighter Mirage 2000, IAF’s most potent air superiority fighter SU-30MKI, transport aircraft AN-32 and C-130J Super Hercules.
A team of Senior IAF Officials headed by Air Marshal AS Butola, VM, VSM, Senior Air Staff Officer HQ CAC, IAF Allahabad, will be present to oversee the operations. While the operation is being conducted under the aegis of HQ Central Air Command, Bamrauli Allahabad, Air Force Station Bakshi Ka Talab Station Commander, Gp Capt J Suares, VM and his team are responsible for the overall control and coordination of the exercise.
An official said that this is the “first time” that transport aircraft (AN-32) will “land and then take off” from this highway. Charting out the usage of AN-32, PRO, Defence (Central Command), Gargi Malik Sinha said, “AN-32 is meant for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. The aircraft can bring a large amount of relief material and can also help in evacuating people.”.
The Lucknow-Agra Expressway has been closed for commuters from 10 AM on October 23 till 2 PM on October 24 for the touchdown exercise. The UP Expressways Industrial Development Authority has requested the district magistrate of Unnao to deploy a police force on 24 October to ensure safe flying operations.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has planned to locate emergency airstrips in important sectors. As part of its plan, the IAF landed a Mirage 2000 fighter on the Yamuna Expressway in 2015.
“The IAF has given clearance to 12 NHs to be developed into emergency landing airstrips out of the total 21. However, on the remaining NHs, discussions and testing are on and soon they too are likely to be cleared by the IAF,” a senior government official told IANS.
Top line IAF combat jets – Sukhoi-30, Mirage 2000 and Jaguar – performed breathtaking touch-go exercise in front of hundreds of people during the 2-hour drill showcasing their capability to land on highways in emergency situations. Click here to read more.
IAF Vice Chief Air Marshal SB Deo said on the sidelines of an event in Delhi said, “What is unique is that we are also landing transport aircraft, the C-130 which is special operations aircraft.”
Click here to watch IAF Aircraft Land on Lucknow-Agra Expressway During Touchdown Exercise.
#WATCH Indian Air Force aircraft on Lucknow-Agra expressway during IAF landing exercise pic.twitter.com/5hF9liTBcH
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 24, 2017
Two Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets touched down the Lucknow-Agra Expressway one after another. The aircraft didn’t really touch the runway down but came down and flew a little over it before flying off.
Sukhoi-30MKI Fighter Jet flies past the Lucknow-Agra Expressway without touching it down. It will be followed by Jaguar aircraft.
Crowds have gathered to watch IAF planes land on Lucknow-Agra expressway.
The Mirage 2000 aircraft touchdown will be followed by Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jet, according to the reports.
The first Mirage 2000 aircraft flew past the Lucknow-Agra Expressway without touching it down. The next two Mirage 2000 touched down and flew off.
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