F-35A fighter jets land on highway in world first

STORY: This is the moment two Lockheed Martin F-35A fighter jets landed on a highway for the first time, seen in footage shot by the Norwegian military.

Military officials hailed the development as a step that would increase survivability during conflict by reducing vulnerable time spent on the ground.

The two Royal Norwegian Air Force aircraft landed in Tervo, in central Finland, on Thursday (September 21) afternoon as part of a military exercise.

Immediately after landing, refueling was carried out with the engines running, known as "hotpit refueling," before the planes took off again.

Finland, which joined NATO in April, shares a 810 mile border with Russia.

The Nordic nation plans to buy 64 F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin.

Though this was a first for the F-35A, the F-35B fighter jets are able to land vertically, and have landed on roads before. F-16s are also able to land on roads.