MILITARY HISTORY ONLINE

User:  
Password:  
 
 (2000-Pres) Current Day Military talk (No Partisan Politics)
Message
kaii
Oslo  
Posts: 3140
Joined: 2010
F35A landing on motorway
9/21/2023 2:08:06 PM
The Swedes and Finns have long had an operational concept of using motorways as supplementary air strips for their fighters.
Today, two Norwegian F35A made a landing and take off from a Finnish motorway, making it the first time the F35A has done this.

With Sweden and Finland entering NATO, the Nordic air forces will coordinate their resources and facilities to a much greater extent than before.

Article from the Nowegian Air Force: [Read More]
(translate to English using the inbuilt Google Translate function in Chrome)
Michigan Dave
Muskegon MI USA
Posts: 8088
Joined: 2006
F35A landing on motorway
9/21/2023 2:17:45 PM
Hi Kai,

I was just wondering if you were still with us? It had been almost 2 mos. since your last post!? Without a doubt you are our window to the current military situations! Great post on how modern jets use highways in Scandinavia for emergency landings! An F35-A must need a lot of pavement? So are citizens in their vehicles on their own when this sort of thing happens??

Glad to hear from you!

Regards,
MD
----------------------------------
"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract."
OpanaPointer
St. Louis MO USA
Posts: 1890
Joined: 2010
F35A landing on motorway
9/21/2023 2:47:59 PM
The roads are blocked during this shenanigans.
Brian Grafton
Victoria BC Canada
Posts: 4720
Joined: 2004
F35A landing on motorway
9/21/2023 8:55:22 PM
Am I wrong in believing that the US Interstate highway system included in its purpose and design certain sections which would be long and straight enough to allow for military a/c to land and take off if necessary?

Cheers
Brian G
----------------------------------
"We have met the enemy, and he is us." Walt Kelly. "The Best Things in Life Aren't Things" Bumper sticker.
OpanaPointer
St. Louis MO USA
Posts: 1890
Joined: 2010
F35A landing on motorway
9/21/2023 9:41:19 PM
I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you first.

However, if you look at the interstate system they did put a lot of runway-like stretches in it. All for the sake of fuel conservation, of course.
Brian Grafton
Victoria BC Canada
Posts: 4720
Joined: 2004
F35A landing on motorway
9/21/2023 9:43:48 PM
OP, do I take that as a “yes”?

B
----------------------------------
"We have met the enemy, and he is us." Walt Kelly. "The Best Things in Life Aren't Things" Bumper sticker.
OpanaPointer
St. Louis MO USA
Posts: 1890
Joined: 2010
F35A landing on motorway
9/21/2023 9:49:09 PM
Also, despite the median between the two directions of travel being perfect wind turbines, broadcast antennas, etc., they don't put anything there.
OpanaPointer
St. Louis MO USA
Posts: 1890
Joined: 2010
F35A landing on motorway
9/21/2023 9:49:36 PM
Mayyyybeeeee.
Brian Grafton
Victoria BC Canada
Posts: 4720
Joined: 2004
F35A landing on motorway
9/21/2023 10:30:31 PM
Shift of focus to Kai’s comment.

The article I read this morning wasn’t focusing on the ability of an F-35 to land on a highway, but rather on the Finnish military’s ability (through its engineering corps) to restructure rapidly a conventional highway to create a military landing platform. The story wasn’t about the F-35, but about the engineers’ capabilities. That such work can allow F-35s to land is not the story, but only a by-blow of the story. Give the engineers their just due!

Cheers
Brian G
----------------------------------
"We have met the enemy, and he is us." Walt Kelly. "The Best Things in Life Aren't Things" Bumper sticker.
OpanaPointer
St. Louis MO USA
Posts: 1890
Joined: 2010
F35A landing on motorway
9/22/2023 6:50:32 AM
Quote:
Shift of focus to Kai’s comment.

The article I read this morning wasn’t focusing on the ability of an F-35 to land on a highway, but rather on the Finnish military’s ability (through its engineering corps) to restructure rapidly a conventional highway to create a military landing platform. The story wasn’t about the F-35, but about the engineers’ capabilities. That such work can allow F-35s to land is not the story, but only a by-blow of the story. Give the engineers their just due!

Cheers
Brian G

The Damned Engineers: Giles, Janice Holt

Amazon
https://www.amazon.com › Damned-Engineers-Janice-...
The Damned Engineers · Janice Holt Giles · 4.7 out of 5 stars 44. Paperback. $28.17$28.17. Lowest Pricein this set of products
OpanaPointer
St. Louis MO USA
Posts: 1890
Joined: 2010
F35A landing on motorway
9/22/2023 3:55:52 PM
Quote:
Mayyyybeeeee.

Well, the interlinear rest stops would be well marked.
Wazza
Sydney  Australia
Posts: 799
Joined: 2005
F35A landing on motorway
9/22/2023 6:43:00 PM
Can only imagine the damage an F-35 exhaust will do to a normal bitumen road base.

Huuge amount of heat is focused out of the engine in a tight surface area.
OpanaPointer
St. Louis MO USA
Posts: 1890
Joined: 2010
F35A landing on motorway
9/22/2023 7:06:20 PM
But they won't be doing vertical T/O if they have a nice long runway, however it got there.
kaii
Oslo  
Posts: 3140
Joined: 2010
F35A landing on motorway
9/22/2023 7:33:07 PM
Quote:
Hi Kai,

I was just wondering if you were still with us? It had been almost 2 mos. since your last post!? Without a doubt you are our window to the current military situations! Great post on how modern jets use highways in Scandinavia for emergency landings! An F35-A must need a lot of pavement? So are citizens in their vehicles on their own when this sort of thing happens??

Glad to hear from you!

Regards,
MD


Still around Dave, just been kind of busy the last couple of months...

K
OpanaPointer
St. Louis MO USA
Posts: 1890
Joined: 2010
F35A landing on motorway
9/22/2023 7:48:04 PM
" So are citizens in their vehicles on their own when this sort of thing happens??"

Back when Obama was prez he visited Chicago while I was up there doing some research. As I came back down I-55 I noticed there were NO cars northbound lanes and cruisers were blocking the on ramps. A few miles later I saw a convoy of black Suburbans going north. It was the Prez and his convoy. I-55 northbound for his use.

The above gives me high confidence that the local heat would/could close a stretch less than a mile long to launch some warbirds. APs would be happy to help.

© 2023 - MilitaryHistoryOnline.com LLC