India’s highways could be used as runways

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is suggesting that new highways could also be designed as backup runways for its air defence fleet. The first highway to be constructed so that it could also be used as a runway is likely to be the 302km Lucknow-Agra Expressway. This route will be operational by the end of 2016. The IAF has been working on plans to build emergency runways and has been developing solutions for mobile logistics support. It has also been researching suitable road sections and the minimum infrastr
May 18, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is suggesting that new highways could also be designed as backup runways for its air defence fleet. The first highway to be constructed so that it could also be used as a runway is likely to be the 302km Lucknow-Agra Expressway. This route will be operational by the end of 2016.

The IAF has been working on plans to build emergency runways and has been developing solutions for mobile logistics support. It has also been researching suitable road sections and the minimum infrastructure requirements needed. The plans have been shared with India’s Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. The runways would serve as alternative runways for operations if key IAF air force bases were to be attacked.

The idea of using a highway as a temporary runway is by no means new. The first stretches of Germany’s Autobahn system were constructed in the 1930s and these were considered from the outset as being suited to use as temporary runways. During the latter part of WWII, a number of Autobahn sections were used as temporary runways, particularly for fighter operations. Other countries too have used sections of highway at times for military aircraft.

Road Structures

Related Content

  • Black sea countries complete preparations for implementation of Black Sea Ring project
    August 23, 2016
    The Black Sea Ring Road project will improve transport connections for the region - Eugene Gerden writes. Russia has officially started implementation of a project, known as the Black Sea Ring Road, which involves building a four-lane highway system connecting the countries surrounding the Black Sea. The Black Sea Ring Road is a substantial project, a highway measuring some 7,140km in all. Among the countries participating in the project are Turkey, Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Greece and
    Read More
  • Cost-saving benefits of dual layer asphalt paving
    February 14, 2012
    Sophisticated dual layer paving technologies currently on the market are said to offer major advantages to road builders. Roads built using twin layer, hot on hot paving techniques can last considerably longer than those constructed using conventional methods. Contractors and clients also stand to gain from savings on materials costs, through the elimination of the need for emulsion spraying between binder and wearing courses and with the use of thin layer wearing course designs. At present two paver man
    Read More
  • Infrastructure investment will help construction jobs
    February 23, 2012
    The construction equipment manufacturing industry has been hit hard by the recession worldwide. Profits for 2009 reveal the sharp drop in business that began escalating around the globe during the third quarter of 2008. The problems have been most acute in the market for compact utility equipment
    Read More
  • Julián Núñez, head of ASECAP offers a little Spanish enlightenment
    May 1, 2018
    Julián Núñez, president of ASECAP, gets his teeth into the vision of a European strategy for toll roads. David Arminas reports from Madrid Getting European politicians to agree to a long-term cross-border highway infrastructure programme for toll roads is extremely difficult. It’s a bit like pulling teeth. People want to avoid the pain. This is perhaps a bad analogy to use in the case of Julián Núñez, president of ASECAP - European Association of Operators of Toll Road Infrastructures. Núñez had just sat
    Read More

Highlighted Content