Defence Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
INS Tabar conducted a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with the Spanish Navy’s Ship Atalaya in the Mediterranean Sea.
The exercise signifies India’s naval outreach and marks a milestone in maritime cooperation between India and Spain. The MPX included advanced exercises like Station Keeping, Replenishment at Sea Approaches, Flying Exercise, Steam Past, and PHOTOEX. Both navies showed high professionalism and commitment, reinforcing strong bilateral naval ties and enhancing cooperation in the maritime domain.

Notes:
The first Joint Commanders’ Conference held in Lucknow with the theme ‘Sashakt and Surakshit Bharat: Transforming Armed Forces’. The focus is on preparing India’s military for the changing operational environment. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and the chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force are leading the event. General Chauhan reviewed the security situation and stressed the importance of jointness and future integration for modern warfare.

Notes:
INS Malpe and INS Mulki, two anti-submarine warfare shallow watercraft vessels, were launched by the Indian Navy at Cochin Shipyard. These are the fourth and fifth indigenously built vessels of this type. They belong to the Mahe Class and will replace the Navy’s Abhay Class ASW Corvettes. The vessels are designed for anti-submarine operations, mine-laying, sub-surface surveillance, and search and rescue in coastal waters. They are 78 meters long, can reach speeds of 25 knots, and have an endurance of 1,800 nautical miles. They feature state-of-the-art SONAR, torpedoes, and advanced weapon systems.

Notes:
The United Kingdom has allowed Ukraine to use Storm Shadow cruise missiles against Russian targets. Storm Shadow is a long-range, air-launched cruise missile with low observability. It was jointly developed by the UK and France, known as SCALP-EG in France. The missile is designed to hit high-value stationary targets like airbases, radar stations, communications hubs, and ports. It is used by the air forces of countries including Egypt, India, Italy, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE.

Notes:
DRDO has successfully completed the first phase of field firing trials for the ‘Zorawar’ tanks. These tanks are designed to boost the Indian Army’s capabilities in high-altitude areas. Developed jointly by DRDO and L&T, they are named after General Zorawar Singh, known for his victories in Tibet. The Zorawar tanks are equipped with drones and battle management systems for better situational awareness. They are built for quick deployment and maneuverability in mountainous regions and are also amphibious, making them suitable for operations in riverine areas.

Notes:
The Kalvari Submarine Escape Training Facility, known as VINETRA, was commissioned at INS Satavahana in Visakhapatnam by Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar. Visakhapatnam is the base for the Eastern Naval Command, a key formation of the Indian Navy. The city hosts vital naval facilities, including the Naval Dockyard, and plays a strategic role in India’s maritime defence. VINETRA improves the escape skills of crew members from distressed Kalvari-class submarines. The facility supports India’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative, reflecting the country’s focus on self-reliance in defence technology.

Notes:
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Southern Command of the Indian Army organized a two-day national symposium, ‘Exercise AIKYA’, on disaster management in Chennai. “Aikya” means “Oneness” in Tamil, symbolizing the goal to unite India’s Disaster Management community. It brought together stakeholders from six southern states/UTs: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Puducherry. The exercise simulated emergencies, tested roles, discussed disaster relief technologies, and reviewed recent operations. It focused on issues like tsunamis, landslides, floods, cyclones, industrial incidents, and forest fires, emphasizing recent events in Tamil Nadu, Wayanad, and Andhra Pradesh.

Notes:
The Navika Sagar Parikrama II expedition features the Indian Naval Sailing Vessel Tarini, which will navigate 21,600 nautical miles around the globe. This mission, led by Lieutenant Commander Roopa A and Lieutenant Commander Dilna K, emphasizes India’s maritime heritage and commitment to empowerment and innovation. The expedition will challenge the crew with treacherous waters, including passages around Cape Leeuwin, Cape Horn, and the Cape of Good Hope, showcasing their resilience and spirit.

Notes:
The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and IIT Delhi have developed lightweight bulletproof jackets called ABHED. These jackets are made from polymers and indigenous boron carbide ceramic material. The design is based on high strain rate material characterization, modeling, and simulation with DRDO’s collaboration. The armour plates have successfully passed all necessary R&D trials. The jackets offer high threat level protection and are lighter than the Indian Army’s weight limits, weighing 8.2 kg and 9.5 kg for different BIS levels. They feature a modular design with front and rear armours for 360-degree protection.

Notes:
The Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya recently participated in a joint exercise with the Italian Navy’s Carrier Strike Group, including the aircraft carrier ITS Cavour. This historic maritime engagement took place off the Goa coast from October 1 to 6, 2024, and involved various complex operations, showcasing interoperability between the two navies. The exercise highlighted the importance of collaboration in maintaining maritime security and addressing challenges such as piracy and threats to commercial shipping in the Indian Ocean region.