IAF conducts night drill with fighter jets on Ganga Expressway airstrip in Shahjahanpur
Superintendent of Police Rajesh Dwivedi told PTI, 'Multiple fighter jets carried out successful sorties as part of a night operational exercise. The drill involved precision landings, coordinated take-offs, and tactical operations by jets such as Rafale, Sukhoi, Jaguar, Mirage-2000, and M-32.' More than 250 CCTV cameras were mounted on and around the airstrip for surveillance and security. 'This ensures safe operations and quick response in case of any untoward incidents,' he said.
The drill, which took place between 7 pm and 10 pm on Friday, saw fighter jets Rafale, Sukhoi, Jaguar, and Mirage-2000 simulate touch-and-go landings and combat operations on the 3.5-kilometre airstrip near Piru village under the Jalalabad Police Station limits.
Shahjahanpur (UP), May 3 (PTI) The Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully conducted night-time combat drills involving fighter jets on the country's first expressway airstrip on the Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur district, officials said Saturday.
Traffic was halted for nearly three hours on the Bareilly-Etawah route that intersects the expressway while the sorties took place.
Dwivedi said that during the exercise, some fighter jets were seen landing with the help of ropes dropped from helicopters, followed by ground tactical deployment.
'Despite strong winds and unfavourable weather during the day, the drill was completed successfully, with the night operations proving to be smoother and more efficient,' he added.
The drill was originally scheduled for two days, but IAF officials completed the entire exercise in one night.
'The programme scheduled for the next day was cancelled as the objective was already achieved,' the SP said.
Additional District Magistrate (Finance and Revenue) Arvind Kumar said, 'Fighter jets made contact with the airstrip near the VIP camp and then took off again. Over 1,000 sanitation workers and other personnel from the Panchayati Raj Department were deployed along a 40-kilometre stretch to ensure no animals or obstructions entered the airstrip.' Locals watched the exercises with enthusiasm from fields nearby, he said.
'It was a historic moment for the district,' Kumar said. The airstrip on the Ganga Expressway, recently inspected by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is now capable of supporting fighter jet landings and operations both day and night, officials confirmed.
The state cabinet had in September 2021 approved the construction of the 594-km Ganga Expressway between Meerut and Prayagraj.
The estimated cost of civil and construction work on the expressway was Rs 36,230 crore at the time of the approval. The project, being made in a public-private partnership model, is running behind schedule. PTI COR KIS VN VN
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
6 hours ago
- The Hindu
Killed in Sikkim landslide, soldier flown home to Lakshadweep 2,500 km away
The Army, Air Force, and the Navy coordinated the final journey of a soldier from a disaster site at an altitude of 9,000 feet in Sikkim's Mangan district to a little above sea level in Lakshadweep. The mortal remains of Sepoy Sainudheen P.K., who died after a landslide hit a military camp in northern Sikkim's Chhaten on June 1, were flown about 2,500 km to his native island of Androth in the Lakshadweep archipelago on Monday. His body was recovered on Sunday under the debris in the disaster zone after eight days of relentless search efforts. Five others, including Lt. Col. Pritpal Singh Sandhu, his wife and daughter, remained traceless. 'Sainudheen P.K. was among the six missing personnel after the landslide. Three other Army personnel were killed and four were injured in the disaster,' Mangan's Superintendent of Police Sonam Detchu Bhutia said. Known for discipline Born on December 20, 1991, Mr. Sainudheen joined the Army on March 24, 2012. 'Over the past 13 years, he served with honour and distinction across some of the harshest operational terrains, including the forbidding heights of the Siachen Glacier. He was known among peers and seniors alike for his professionalism, discipline, and unflinching dedication to duty,' a statement from the Defence Ministry said. 'His final journey was a solemn and dignified tribute to a life dedicated to the nation. This long and logistically complex repatriation was made possible through a coordinated tri-Services operation involving the Army, IAF and the Navy, supported ably by the local administration,' it said. Army Aviation helicopters and IAF aircraft, including the C-295, were employed for this effort, ensuring timely and seamless transportation across multiple legs of the journey. A ceremonial wreath-laying tribute was conducted with full military honours at the Bengdubi Military Station in West Bengal. At Androth, the Navy rendered a guard of honour. 'Whether in Siachen or Sikkim, he (Sepoy Sainudheen) served with a quiet courage that inspired all ranks. His sacrifice is a reminder that true valour lies in selfless service even in the face of unseen dangers. We salute a soldier, a comrade and a son of India whose memory will forever guide us,' the Sepoy's commanding officer said.
Mint
7 hours ago
- Mint
DGCA's whip on Uttarakhand operators: Suspends Kestrel Aviation ops after copter crash lands, to conduct live monitoring
After six people onboard a Kedarnath Dham-bound helicopter had a narrow escape when it made an emergency landing on a highway in Rudraprayag on June 7, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday suspended two operators, including Kestrel Aviation, for SOP violations. The DGCA has also decided to intensify safety supervision of helicopter operations in Uttarakhand, including conducting live monitoring and surprise audits, LiveMint has learned. According to a PTI report, the last one month alone has seen four crashes. A private helicopter had to make an emergency landing in Guptkashi of Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district due to a technical fault on Saturday. All the passengers on board the helicopter, en route to Kedarnath Dham, were safe. The helicopter belonged to Kestrel Aviation Private Limited. It made a precautionary landing on the road instead of a helipad. The DGCA said Kestrel Aviation's AW119 (Reg. VT-RNK) helicopter, piloted by Capt RPS Sodhi, experienced a hard landing on the road adjacent to the Barasu helipad. The hard landing of the helicopter on Saturday comes just about a month after another private helicopter on its way to Gangotri temple crashed near Gangnani in Uttarkashi district on May 8, killing six people including five women and the pilot, and leaving one male passenger seriously injured. On May 12, a helicopter returning from Badrinath to Sersi with pilgrims on board was forced to make an emergency landing due to poor visibility in a school playground in Ukhimath. All pilgrims were safe. The helicopter took off again after about an hour when the weather improved, PTI reported. On May 17, a heli ambulance from AIIMS Rishikesh crash-landed near the Kedarnath helipad in Uttarakhand due to damage to its rear part. Fortunately, all three occupants on board – a doctor, a pilot and a medical staff member – escaped unharmed. (This is a developing story. Please check back for updates)
The Hindu
7 hours ago
- The Hindu
Army chief for IAF graduation parade on June 14
Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi would be the reviewing officer for the Combined Graduation Parade (CGP) of the 215th course at Air Force Academy (AFA), Dundigal, on June 14. The event will commemorate the successful completion of the pre-commissioning training of flight cadets across various branches of the Indian Air Force (IAF). During the ceremony, the RO will confer the 'President's Commission' to the graduating trainees. The ceremony includes presentation of 'wings' upon successful completion of training to the flight cadets of the IAF, officers of the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and one officer from a friendly foreign country. The flight cadet from Flying Branch who stands first in the order of merit will be awarded the coveted 'President's Plaque' as well as the 'Chief of the Air Staff Sword of Honour' - and will be commanding the parade. The 'President's Plaque' will be awarded by the RO to the flight cadet standing first in the overall order of merit in the ground duty branches. The event will include a display by the Akash Ganga team and Air Warrior Drill Team (AWDT) to mark the beginning of the CGP, and interspersed fly-pasts by the Pilatus PC-7 Mk-II, Hawk, Kiran and Chetak aircraft. The aerial displays by PC-7 Mk-II, SU-30 MK-I, and Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) will also form major attractions of this ceremony, a press release said.
