The Indian Air Force (IAF) recently activated an Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) airstrip located on a national highway in Andhra Pradesh’s Bapatla district, showcasing strong coordination between the IAF and civil agencies. This activation, carried out on March 18, involved the use of a 4.1 km long and 33-m wide concrete airstrip constructed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) according to specifications provided by the IAF.
ELF airstrips like this one enhance the flexibility of air operations during emergencies and play a crucial role in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts in remote areas. While similar airstrips are operational in various parts of the country, this ELF in Andhra Pradesh was recently made operational in peninsular India. On the activation day, IAF’s fighter and transport aircraft conducted operations on the airstrip located on national highway 16 near Addanki in Bapatla district.
During the activation, Su-30 and Hawk fighters performed overshoots, while An-32 and Dornier transport aircraft landed and took off from the strip. The successful activation highlighted the effective coordination between civil agencies such as NHAI, district administration, state police, and the IAF. Such activations demonstrate the commitment of the IAF, along with the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), to create ELFs at suitable locations to bolster national defense and emergency response capabilities.
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