Mirage landing is a big thing but Pakistan did it much before

[S.U.R.B.]

Why do we have to compare everything?

When done on every occasion and all the times, it feels lame.

 

[Zarvan]

Yes, Mirage landing on Yamuna Expressway is a big thing but Pakistan did it much before - Firstpost

The first-ever test landing of a Mirage-2000 on the Yamuna Expressway near Mathura on 21 May is a laudable feat by Indian Air Force (IAF) having huge strategic import but the flip side is that many countries, including Pakistan, have done it much before India. In fact, Pakistan has done it twice, first time way back in 2000 and then again in 2010.

But better late than never. Road runways have been used by many countries during war times and first such instance had come 70 years ago during the fag end of World War II by Hitler’s forces.

The idea behind road runways is that during war times landing strips are the obvious first targets of the enemy and a nation has to have a large number of viable alternatives. That is why nations world over use national highways and civil airstrips for emergency landing by fighter jets.

This explains the importance of having many more smooth and long expressways like the Yamuna Expressway. This also explains the Indian government’s deep focus on having a large network of expressways – and this definitely predates the Modi government.

Soon after the successful test landing the IAF made it clear in a press statement that it intends to activate more such highway strips in future. The IAF statement said: "The aircraft made a practice approach on the highway, coming down to a height of 100 metres before landing off the next approach. The operations were conducted with active support from the government of Uttar Pradesh, Yamuna Expressway Authority, toll authorities of JP Infratech and the civil police. The IAF has plans to activate more such stretches on highways in the future."

Highway strips are strategic assets for a nation which double up as auxiliary bases in war times. Many European countries have used this tactic for decades, particularly Germany, Sweden, Finland and Poland. Countries like China, Taiwan, Singapore and Australia too have done so many times before.

But what should bring a reality check for the Indians is the fact that Pakistan has done it twice before – first in 2000 and then again in 2010.

The first time Pakistan achieved the feat was way back in the year 2000 when Pakistan Air Force (PAF) used the M2 motorway (Islamabad-Lahore) as a runway on two occasions. For those who have an appetite for technical details, Pakistan’s M-1 Motorway (Peshawar-Islamabad) and the M-2 Motorway (Islamabad-Lahore) each include two emergency runway sections of 2,700 m (9,000 ft) length each. The four emergency runway sections become operational by removing removable concrete medians using forklifts.

PAF used the M2 motorway as a runway for the first time in 2000 when it landed an F-7P fighter, a Super Mushak trainer and a C-130. PAF did it again in 2010 by using a runway section on the M2 motorway on 2 April 2010 to land, refuel and take-off two jet fighters, a Mirage III and an F-7P, during its Highmark 2010 exercise.

India has finally woken up to the need to have many road runways. The Agra-Lucknow expressway is the first Indian road runway.

There are many prerequisites for having road runways. For example, there should be a smooth road at least three kilometers long. Moreover, the road segment has to be straight, leveled, located on non-undulating ground without slope and must not have electricity poles, masts, or mobile phone towers.

For a country like India, whose worst security nightmare is having to fight a two-pronged war with Pakistan and China, road runways are crucial. This underlines the importance of expressways – the highest class of roads which are six-or-eight-lanes controlled-access highways.

As of now, India boasts of 23 expressways totaling a length of 1324 kms, but the truth is that all of these so-called “expressways” are misnomers.

If one goes by the strict definition of “expressways”, India has under 1000 kms of such network; and barely a couple of hundred kms network if one goes by the international parameters.

In other words, the more international-class expressways India has, the more Indian strategic interests are secure.

The moral of the story: expressways are not only lifelines for transportation but also key assets for national security.

Yes we did long ago so no big news for us

 

[S.U.R.B.]

They fly there. Support equipment is already in place in hidden storage nearby the particular highway section.
Highway strip - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

/\/\/\ Did anyone there say Jeez!! ?

 

[Penguin]

 

[ACE OF THE AIR]

/\/\/\ Did anyone there say Jeez!! ?

Jeez would be if it was the other way around !!

 

[S.U.R.B.]

Jeez would be if it was the other way around !!

That would have been, "that's it.. that's IT".
In this case too the approach is not that far off the bridge.A 100 meters, give or take.

 

[ACE OF THE AIR]

That would have been, "that's it.. that's IT".
In this case too the approach is not that far off the bridge.A 100 meters, give or take.

If the aircraft is 50 feet above the the threshold it can still touchdown 1000 ft down the line with a glide angle of 3 deg. Depending on the height of the bridge + 50 ft above the aircraft is infect going to touch down much further.

 

[Mr.Nair]

By the way we don't need high way for landing but we have mobile sea runway(aircraft carrier) for doing so.

 

[S.U.R.B.]

If the aircraft is 50 feet above the the threshold it can still touchdown 1000 ft down the line with a glide angle of 3 deg. Depending on the height of the bridge + 50 ft above the aircraft is infect going to touch down much further.

I didn't mean 100 meters above the bridge.I meant it's 100 meter ahead of the bridge ,at the moment this picture was taken.It must have been a close approach.Leave it man.

 

[Transhumanist]

Highway takeoffs are kind off common in Nordic countries:

Swedish JAS 39

Finnish F-18

Norwegian F-16

Norway also has dozens of sub 1000m runways throughout the country-side, just in-case our main airbases are put out of action.

 

[Rahil khan]

47 was not really a air war. It was more like Kargil in a sense, localised heavy army warfare.

65, okay you guys managed to get a good hit. Will give you that.

71, that was India's air war completely.

99, undisputed Indian air war.

But I agree the 48 hour stuff is bollywood propaganda and that fellow is obviously trolling or pulling your leg.

An honest analysis indeed.

 

[MilSpec]

Decommissioned jet, waiting to be mounted on a stand at some junction, in the meantime, why don't you take some rest.

lol, I did eat my lunch under MKI's and IL76's quite a few times

 

[Indian Patriot]

What is that?

 

[Windjammer]

Why do we have to compare everything?

When done on every occasion and all the times, it feels lame.

finally a sensible reply, I guess you can make @Windjammer understand that it is not big deal but it was news in India because general populace here not as knowledgeable as Pakistani people in military affairs.

The irony is that when PAF carried out this exercise, the IAF air chief did his best to downplay it by stating, ''No big deal, Sweden and Switzerland have been doing it for decades''....... but suddenly when India does it, it's a major achievement. ..... besides it's not the Pakistani media that is giving a wake up call to India. !!

 

[Humble Analyst]

By the way we don't need high way for landing but we have mobile sea runway(aircraft carrier) for doing so.

And those air craft carriers can travel inland I guess through rivers!