Converting Highways Into Runways For Typhoons and F-35Bs

A US Air Force A-10 lands on a Michigan highway in August 2021. US Air Force/Master Sgt. Scott Thompson  

Business Insider: Air forces are ditching runways to prepare their jets to keep operating when enemies aim for their bases 

* The British air force plans to operate its Typhoon and F-35B jets on highways in the next year. 

* It is meant to be a test of the British air force's ability to operate away from its main bases. 

* Many militaries use highways as runways, and it's getting new interest as threats to airbases grow. 

The war in Ukraine has reinforced many things that militaries knew about major conflicts. One of the most important is that air power is vital to ensuring ground forces survive and advance. 

But sustaining power in the air requires having places where jets and helicopters can land, refuel, and rearm. On a modern battlefield, where long-range weapons can reach far behind the frontlines and drones constantly roam overhead, protecting aircraft from the enemy is hard. 

So Western air forces are increasingly focused on dispersing their operations. One way to do that is by using highway networks to land, refit, and take off before the enemy catches up.  

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WNU Editor: In a major conflict all major airfields will be a target. If you want a functional air force you will need to disperse your forces. I suspect this is what Ukraine has done with what remains of its air force.