markwillstar asked: I cant find the website anymore that someone linked me to, but the idea is that these metal mats can be laid out over land and planes can land on them as well as setting up a base.
this originated in asking about a emergency built runway for a war story.
Its called PSP more commonly. There are a few others out there within the same concept but the oldest in use at least since WWII has been PSP.
I think you are talking about steel landing mats.
The name is Marston Matting or the AM-2 mat. See the web link below.