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U.S. Air Force set to make history by intentionally landing 6 aircraft on a Michigan highway

This is believed to be the first intentional landing of aircraft on a U.S. roadway

Stock image of a US Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II from 2017. Photo by Smith Collection/Gado (Getty Images)

If, by any chance, you are in the area of Alpena, Michigan on Thursday, chances are, you will be able to witness some United States Air Force history.

The Air Force plans to take six aircraft out onto a highway for a special exercise, a road-landing drill on a stretch of the highway M-32 near Alpena.

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The road will be closed for about five hours.

“This is believed to be the first time in history that modern Air Force aircraft have intentionally landed on a civilian roadway on U.S. soil,” U.S. Air Force Colonel James Rossi told The Drive. “Our efforts are focused on our ability to train the warfighter in any environment across the continuum, so our nation can compete, deter, and win, today and tomorrow.”

Four A-10C attack aircraft and two C-146A Wolfhound special operations transports will take part in the exercise.

It’s part of emerging operational concepts by the Air Force, most notably, Agile Combat Employment, which has an objective to ensure airpower can be sustained even without access to regular air bases that can be targets for enemies in conflict.

Traffic will be detoured and the electrical power supply will be shut down temporarily for residences right around the landing area.


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