Is the Emergency Landing Field in Assam’s Moran Ready for Inauguration Next Week?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
New Delhi, Feb 9 (NationPress) Enhancing the readiness and response capabilities of the Indian military in any conflict scenario, the government has successfully established an emergency landing facility in the northeastern region of the country. This initiative complements the existing network of highways that can function as airstrips for the landing and take-off of both aircraft and fighter jets.
The emergency landing airstrip located in the Moran area of Assam is now completed and is poised for inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 14.
Defense officials state that a 4.2-kilometre-long strip has been constructed on National Highway Number 2, which traverses Moran in Dibrugarh. This marks the first emergency landing facility on an expressway in the Northeast region.
This development is particularly important considering the potential for a two-front war, given the current tense situation along the borders with Pakistan and China.
During the inauguration ceremony, the Indian Air Force (IAF) will showcase touch-and-go drills with Rafale and Sukhoi-30 fighter jets, while fixed-wing transport aircraft such as the C-130 and AN-32 will land and take off from this newly established airstrip.
The 4.2-km strip, which is modeled after other expressways across the country, is designed to accommodate both transport and fighter jets during critical combat scenarios.
On November 16, 2021, PM Modi inaugurated another airstrip on the Purvanchal Expressway near Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh. This event gained attention as the Prime Minister himself landed on this airstrip using a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft.
It is noteworthy that the IAF is actively enhancing the armed forces' readiness through the acquisition of new fighters, weapons, and modern equipment, while the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is dedicated to developing Emergency Landing Facilities (ELFs) on highways to create versatile landing strips.