What Happened
- The Indian Air Force conducted a major aerial display at the newly activated Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on the Moran Bypass in Dibrugarh, Assam, on 14 February 2026.
- Frontline fighter jets — the Dassault Rafale and Sukhoi Su-30MKI — performed take-offs and landings on the 4.2-km reinforced highway strip, demonstrating the facility's operational readiness for combat aircraft.
- The Prime Minister arrived aboard a C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft and witnessed the aerial display featuring fighters, transport aircraft, and helicopters.
- This is the northeast's first ELF activation, significantly enhancing India's air power projection capability near the China border.
- The display validated the dual-use concept of converting national highway stretches into emergency military runways.
Static Topic Bridges
Rafale and Su-30MKI — IAF's Multi-Role Fighter Fleet
The IAF demonstrated two of its most capable fighter platforms at the Moran ELF. The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine, delta-wing, multirole combat aircraft, while the Sukhoi Su-30MKI is a Russian-origin, twin-engine, super-manoeuvrable air superiority fighter assembled in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Together, they form the backbone of IAF's offensive capability.
- Rafale: 36 aircraft ordered under a 2016 Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) with France at approximately Rs 59,000 crore; twin Snecma M88-2 engines; Meteor beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missiles and SCALP cruise missiles; operational from Ambala (No. 17 Squadron "Golden Arrows") and Hashimara (No. 101 Squadron "Falcons of Chamb")
- Su-30MKI: 272 aircraft ordered (India is the largest non-Russian operator); assembled at HAL Nashik under licence from Russia; twin AL-31FP engines with thrust-vectoring; equipped with BrahMos supersonic cruise missile integration; operational across multiple air bases
- Both are 4.5-generation fighters capable of air superiority, ground attack, maritime strike, and nuclear delivery roles
- IAF's future trajectory: HAL Tejas Mk1A (under delivery), Tejas Mk2 (under development), AMCA — Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (5th generation, under design)
Connection to this news: The landing and take-off of both Rafale and Su-30MKI at the Moran ELF validates that India's frontline combat fleet can operate from dispersed highway locations. In a conflict scenario near the China border, this dispersal capability prevents an adversary from neutralising Indian air power by targeting a limited number of fixed airbases.
Dispersed Air Operations — Doctrine Behind Highway Airstrips
The concept of dispersed air operations — operating fighter jets from multiple small or improvised airstrips rather than a few large bases — is a well-established military doctrine adopted by countries with long vulnerable borders. Sweden pioneered this approach during the Cold War with its Bas 90 system, where Gripen fighters were designed to operate from 800-metre road strips. India's ELF programme adapts this doctrine to its strategic context, especially the twin-front challenge of Pakistan in the west and China in the northeast.
- Sweden's Bas 90 system: Gripen fighters designed for 800-m road operations with 6-minute turnaround by conscript ground crews
- NATO Cold War doctrine: Autobahn strips in Germany maintained for dispersed fighter operations against Soviet attack
- India's ELF programme: 28 identified sites across 11 states/UTs; approximately 15 operational
- Highway ELF requirements: 3–4 km straight stretch, reinforced surface rated for 40–74 tonnes, clear approach paths, no overhead obstructions (power lines, bridges), median barriers removable
- Ganga Expressway ELF (2025): India's first night-landing capable highway airstrip with full lighting infrastructure
- IAF has practised highway operations since 2016 (Agra-Lucknow Expressway) and expanded to Yamuna, Purvanchal, and Ganga Expressways in UP
Connection to this news: The Moran ELF extends dispersed operations capability into the strategically vital northeast — the only region where India had no operational highway airstrip until now. With 5 designated ELF sites in Assam, the IAF is building a network of dispersed operating bases close to the China frontier.
India's Dual-Use Infrastructure Strategy
The ELF concept exemplifies India's broader dual-use infrastructure approach, where civilian assets — highways, expressways, bridges — are designed from the outset to serve military purposes. This is distinct from purely military construction and falls under the framework of civil-military integration (CMI). The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) collaborates with the IAF and BRO to identify and reinforce suitable highway stretches during the construction phase itself, reducing costs and construction time.
- Rs 100 crore invested in the Moran ELF — a fraction of the cost of building a new airbase (typically Rs 1,000–3,000 crore)
- NHAI-IAF coordination: ELF specifications integrated during highway design phase (surface strength, gradient, width, approach clearance)
- India's National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP): Rs 111 lakh crore investment plan (2020–2025) includes highway expansion with dual-use potential
- Similar dual-use approach in railways: Strategic rail lines to border areas serve both civilian connectivity and military logistics
- China's dual-use model: Extensive highway-airstrip network in Tibet Autonomous Region, with over 20 military-grade airfields within 500 km of the LAC
Connection to this news: The Moran ELF cost Rs 100 crore — economical compared to a full airbase. By embedding military specifications into civilian highway construction, India achieves strategic airfield dispersal without the political, environmental, and financial costs of building new standalone military facilities in the sensitive northeast region.
Key Facts & Data
- Rafale fleet: 36 aircraft (2016 IGA with France); operates from Ambala and Hashimara
- Su-30MKI fleet: 272 ordered; assembled by HAL Nashik; India is largest non-Russian operator
- Moran ELF: 4.2 km, NH-37, Dibrugarh district; first ELF in northeast India
- ELF capacity: Fighters up to 40 tonnes, transport aircraft up to 74 tonnes MTOW
- Total IAF ELF sites: 28 identified across 11 states/UTs; ~15 operational
- C-130J-30 fleet in IAF: 12 aircraft, inducted from February 2011
- ELF cost: Rs 100 crore (Moran facility)
- First IAF highway landing exercise: November 2016, Agra-Lucknow Expressway
- Assam designated ELF sites: 5 (highest among all states)