Fighter and transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force conducted an emergency exercise at the Purvanchal Expressway airstrip today.
District Magistrate Sultanpur Jasjeet Kaur said, "Around 10 jets and planes conducted a touch-and-go exercise on the airstrip in which one AN32 (transport aircraft) landed completely on the airstrip."
"This is an emergency exercise conducted by the IAF to check the quality and strength of the airstrip so that the emergency jets can easily land and reach the airstrip," the district magistrate said. It said Mirage, Jaguar and Antonov AN32 fighter jets were part of the exercise.
"Today's IAF contingency exercise was conducted in the presence of senior IAF officials and ground personnel. Mirage, Jaguar and Antonov AN32 fighter jets were part of today's exercise," said Jasjeet Kaur.
She further said that Sukhoi was also part of today's exercise but due to bad weather conditions in Bareilly today's event could not take place as it was scheduled from Bareilly.
For today's event, a 5 kilometer area of the Purvanchal highway near Sultanpur has been under repair since June 11, all barriers have been removed from the airstrip area for safe and secure landing and departure of aircraft.