Five things we learnt from IAF's exercise on Lucknow-Agra Expressway

Fighter and transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Tuesday performed breathtaking touch-and-go landings on a stretch of the Lucknow-Agra Expressway showing that highways can be used as landing strips in case of an emergency. Over a dozen IAF planes, including Mirage-2000 fighters and Sukhoi 30s, besides 35,000 kg C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, took part in the exercise near Bangarmau in the district, about 65 km from Lucknow. 

• This is the Indian Air Force's first official touchdown exercise on the expressway, which was inaugurated in November, 2016.
• It was carried out to hone pilots' skills on public roads in case of a war-like emergency. 20 IAF aircraft (both fighter and transport) participated the touch-and-go manoeuvre on the expressway. 
• It is for the first time any transport aircraft landed and then took off from the expressway.
• The main attraction of the exercise was the Super Hercules C-130J, aka military transport aircraft. IAF has six US-made Hercules transport aircraft at present. 
• A Mirage-2000 had landed on the Yamuna Expressway near Delhi for the first time in 2015.