Defence Current Affairs MCQs

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Recently, the Indian Navy’s Indian Naval Ship Tabar (INS Tabar) acted quickly to rescue crew members after a fire broke out on an oil vessel in the Gulf of Oman. INS Tabar (F44) is the third Talwar-class frigate of the Indian Navy. It was built in Russia. It is one of the earliest stealth frigates of the Indian Navy. It operates under the Western Fleet based in Mumbai within the Western Naval Command.

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Recently, INS Udaygiri, the second ship of Project 17A stealth frigates, was delivered to the Indian Navy. Project 17A is a follow-on of the Shivalik class frigates under Project 17 already in service. INS Nilgiri is the first indigenously built stealth frigate under Project 17A. A frigate is a multi-role vessel used for protecting fleet surface ships against enemy ships and aerial threats. These multi-mission frigates can operate in a Blue Water environment to tackle both conventional and non-conventional threats around India’s maritime interests.

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The Indian Army will soon get the first batch of Apache AH-64E attack helicopters from the United States. The Apache AH-64E, also called the Apache Guardian, is the world’s most advanced multi-role combat helicopter. It is made by Boeing in the United States and used by many countries, including India, Egypt, Greece, and Japan. It can fly up to 300 kilometres per hour and has a range of 500 kilometres. It has advanced systems for communication, navigation, sensors, and weapons.

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The Indian Air Force (IAF) is planning to acquire AIR LORA to strengthen its long-range strike power. AIR LORA stands for Air-Launched Long-Range Attack missile. It is developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) for advanced air-to-ground missions. It targets high-value and well-defended assets like command centres, air bases, and naval vessels. It uses advanced inertial navigation system/global navigation satellite system (INS/GNSS) with anti-jamming features.

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Recently, user trials of Extended Range Anti-Submarine Rocket (ERASR) were successfully conducted from INS Kavaratti. Extended Range Anti-Submarine Rocket (ERASR) is a fully indigenous anti-submarine weapon built for Indian Naval Ships. It is launched from Indigenous Rocket Launchers (IRL) installed onboard naval ships. It is designed to combat underwater submarine threats with precision. It was developed by Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune, under Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

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Recently, the Indian Navy signed a contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bengaluru for the National Maritime Domain Awareness (NMDA) Project. The National Maritime Domain Awareness (NMDA) Project aims to strengthen India’s maritime and coastal security. It ensures integrated data collection, analysis, and sharing among maritime stakeholders. The project will upgrade the National Command, Control, Communication, and Intelligence (NC3I) Network to the NMDA Network. The Indian Navy will administer the project on a turnkey basis. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) will act as the lead integrator, providing advanced hardware and AI-based software solutions.

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Recently, two pilots were killed after a SEPECAT Jaguar aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed near Churu in Rajasthan. The SEPECAT Jaguar is also known as ‘Shamsher’, meaning Sword of Justice. The SEPECAT Jaguar aircraft was jointly developed by the United Kingdom and France. It was a collaboration between the British Aircraft Corporation and the French Breguet Company (now part of Dassault). It is a twin-engine, ground-attack aircraft.

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Indian Navy will participate in the 32nd edition of the Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX), earlier known as Exercise Lion King. It is one of India’s longest uninterrupted annual maritime exercises. It is conducted every year between the Indian Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy. The exercise aims to enhance naval cooperation, interoperability, and maritime security. It supports India’s Vision SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region).

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The Indian Air Force (IAF) will retire the Russian-made MiG-21 Bison fighter jets by September 2025. This marks the end of India’s longest-serving combat aircraft era. MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter designed by Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau (OKB) of the former Soviet Union. It was first inducted into the IAF in 1963 as India’s first supersonic jet. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) manufactured 657 MiG-21s under a Russian license. It is the second most produced jet aircraft globally.

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Recently, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) started building its first indigenously made Air Cushion Vehicle (ACV) at Chowgule & Company Pvt. Ltd. shipyard in Goa. This marks a milestone under a contract signed on 24 October 2024 with the Ministry of Defence to build six such hovercraft. The ACV is based on Griffon Hoverwork designs but is customized by Indian experts for coastal security tasks. These ACVs will improve ICG’s speed, flexibility, and operations in shallow waters. They will boost patrolling, interdiction, and rescue missions along India’s long coastline.