Posted on 04/02/2010 7:44:10 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Friday successfully validated its concept of fighter operations from motorways and highways when its two fighter aircraft landed on a motorway.
The historic landmark was achieved as part of the ongoing High Mark-2010 exercise.
After landing, the aircraft were refuelled, rearmed and re-launched, Associated Press of Pakistan reported.
While the point where the two aircraft touched down was not specified, it was believed to be somewhere on the Islamabad-Lahore motorway or that linking the capital with Peshawar.
High Mark-2010, launched March 15, is the PAF’s biggest war game in five years and covers the the entire country from Skardu in the north till the Arabian Sea in the south.
According to a PAF spokesman, ‘the ever changing geo-political environment in the region demands change in the employment concepts and doctrinal changes in the application of air power with emphasis on joint operations’.
‘High Mark-2010 would provide the PAF an opportunity to validate these concepts that are vital for the overall defence of the country,’ he added.
To this end, the spokesman said, High Mark-2010 is aimed at conducting operations in a near-realistic tactical environment while integrating new inductions and providing role-oriented training to the combat and support elements of the force.
‘The exercise is designed to achieve stipulated objectives with special emphasis on exposing PAF combat crew to simulated air battles based on contemporary concepts,’ he added.
The exercise includes joint operations with extensive participation from the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Navy that would further enhance joint operations, integration and cooperation amongst the three services, the spokesman said.
New inductions like the JF-17 Thunder aircraft that has been jointly developed with China and force multipliers such as the Saab-2000 airborne early warning and control aircraft and air-to-air refuellers are participating in the exercise for
(Excerpt) Read more at indiatalkies.com ...
Highway landing is extremely hazardous not simply because of the normal objects to avoid, but because high performance jet engines are extremely susceptible to FOD (foreign object damage).
Highway landing is extremely hazardous not simply because of the normal objects to avoid, but because high performance jet engines are extremely susceptible to FOD (foreign object damage).
P.S. On military bases and on board carriers the squadron personnel do DAILY shoulder to shoulder FOD walkdowns on the flight deck and tarmack.
The Germans designed the Autobahn as runways.During World War II, the central reservation of some autobahns were paved to allow their conversion into auxiliary airports. Aircraft were either concealed in numerous tunnels or camouflaged in nearby woods.
One of the major purposes of the Eisenhower highway system was to do the same.
Late in the war, stretches of the autobahn were used as makeshift runways for Luftwaffe fighters and bombers.In fact NATO was considering the Autobahn as alternate runways if a war occured between NATO and the Warsaw Pact
puts a whole new meaning on stay right huh?
I think its a brilliant move especially when you have airfields knocked out.
The Taiwanese have many videos on youtube showing success of landing and taking off from highways.
F-16 ping.
Hasn’t highway operation always been a Swedish (Saab/Viggen) contingency?
No. You can use NATO planes such as Typhoons for such operations. I have even seen footage of a Tornado.
ditto for the SKoK AF lots of wide hiways...
Not just considering but actually did. There were several stretches of the autobahn that I drove on that I recognized as runways. I remember one on the autobahn to Nurenburg that actually had the infrastructure to allow installation of barrier cables. The USAF called them CLARA’s, Contingency Launch and Recovery Airstrip. The west gate to Ramstein AB also had a CLARA built on the road leading to the gate. If you go to google earth you can still see where the contingency runway was.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.