IAF tests emergency landing of fighter jets at Kashmir highway
- In Reports
- 10:45 PM, Apr 02, 2024
- Myind Staff
On April 2, 2024, officials reported that five Indian Air Force helicopters, including the newly acquired Chinook manufactured in the United States, conducted a drill on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, simulating emergency landings. This marked the first instance of such an exercise taking place in Jammu and Kashmir.
Officials noted that with this development, Jammu and Kashmir became the inaugural Union territory to put into operation an Emergency Landing Facility (ELF). Currently, the states of Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan have operational emergency landing strips. According to authorities, in the early hours, two Chinook helicopters from the United States, one Mi-17 from Russia, and two Advance Light Helicopters (ALH) from the Indian Air Force (IAF) landed on the Wanpoh-Sangam stretch of the national highway connecting Kashmir with the rest of the nation.
The entire exercise concluded by 2:50 am, during which the helicopters landed on the stretch and conducted an exercise of evacuating troops from the ground, officials stated. They added that the drill proceeded smoothly without encountering any issues.
Construction on the 3.5-kilometer emergency landing strip commenced in 2020 and was finished late last year as part of a joint initiative between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to establish Emergency Landing Facilities (ELFs) at various locations nationwide.
The Chinook helicopters, renowned for their top speed of 310 kmph and an operational range of 741 km, are primarily employed for heavy lifting tasks. Their main cabin has the capacity to accommodate more than 33 fully-equipped troops and can also be utilized for medical evacuation missions, offering space for up to 24 stretchers.
Similarly, the Mi-17 helicopters have the capability to carry up to 35 troops. As for the ALH, it is a domestically developed utility aircraft manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), featuring a twin-engine configuration. It is primarily utilized for casualty evacuation purposes.
These helicopters have been utilised in relief and rescue efforts during natural calamities. The Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) drill aims to demonstrate the coordination and cooperation between civil agencies like the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), district administration, state police, and the air force in executing intricate and multifaceted operations.
Image Source: Times Of India
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