Key Takeaways
- The Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted an emergency landing trial on NH 16 airstrip near Addanki in Andhra Pradesh, showcasing the high level of synergy between civil agencies.
- The activation demonstrated the importance of Emergency Landing Facilities (ELFs) in enhancing the flexibility of air operations during contingencies and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations.
- The IAF and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) are working jointly to create ELFs at suitable locations across the country.
New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter and transport aircraft carried out operations on an Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) airstrip on National Highway 16 near Addanki in Bapatla district of Andhra Pradesh.
Su-30 and Hawk fighters successfully carried out overshoots during the activation, while An-32 and Dornier transport aircraft landed and subsequently took off from the strip on Monday, an Indian Air Force statement said on Tuesday.
The IAF and civil agencies, including the NHAI, district administration, and state police, worked together to conduct complex activities, demonstrating a high level of synergy and liaison.
Previously, such an activation was conducted on December 29, 2022. The 4.1-kilometer-long and 33-meter-wide concrete airstrip has been constructed by the NHAI as per specifications provided by the IAF. While other airstrips are already operational in various parts of the country, this ELF in Andhra Pradesh has been recently operationalised in peninsular India.
ELF highway airstrips enhance the flexibility of air operations during contingencies and are invaluable assets during Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations in far flung areas. IAF, and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) are working jointly for the creation of ELFs at suitable locations
