Su-30MKI, Mirage 2000 Among 20 Planes to Land on Indian Expressway

Indian Air Force’s Sukhoi-30MKI and French Dassault Mirage 2000 fighter jets will be among 20 airplanes to participate in a landing and take-off exercise on Agra-Lucknow Expressway on October 24, 2017.

This will be the first official exercise of IAF after the inauguration of expressway in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh in November last year. According to officials, IAF fighter jets will use the stretch in day mission to horn their skills of using public road in case of emergency during war-times.

"Twenty Indian Air Force aircraft will participate in the exercise. These will include French Dassault Mirage 2000, Jaguar, Sukhoi 30 MKI and AN-32 transport," Gargi Malik, public relations officer of the Indian Defense Ministry, told the media Wednesday evening.

Malik said the expressway will be closed for the public from October 20-24. "The take-off and landing exercise will be on October 24, but the traffic blockade will be from October 20, as decided by state authorities to prepare the stretch for the event," she added.

Earlier on November 21, 2016, eight fighter jets touched down on expressway during inauguration ceremony.

According to Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority, from October 20 to 24, no vehicle will be allowed between mile stone 219 to 324 (Araul, Kanpur district to Lucknow).