Defence Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
The sail training ship (STS) INS Tarangini arrived in Visakhapatnam for the International Fleet Review (IFR) and MILAN exercise starting February 18. INS Tarangini is the Indian Navy’s first sail training ship. It became the first Indian naval ship to circumnavigate the globe in 2003‑2004. Its primary role is to instill courage, camaraderie, and endurance in officer cadets starting a naval career. The ship provides hands-on training in sailing, setting and furling sails, watch-keeping, and sail manoeuvres.

Notes:
The Indian Army’s Southern Command conducted Exercise Vajra Ghaat at Pokhran Field Firing Range in Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan. The exercise focused on testing the K9 Vajra self-propelled artillery gun system in desert warfare conditions of the Thar Desert. It was spearheaded by the White Tiger Division. The objective is to validate refined Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) for better survivability and operational effectiveness. The drill demonstrated swift deployment of heavy artillery in harsh terrain. K9 Vajra carried out high-intensity, precise fire missions.

Notes:
The Southern Air Command conducts a high-tempo joint maritime exercise named Kalari Leap in the Lakshadweep and Minicoy archipelago. The exercise validates joint planning, rapid force projection and precise operations in complex maritime environments. The Armed Forces Special Operations Division and the Indian Coast Guard participate in the joint drill. Indian Air Force assets operate alongside Coast Guard ships, Gemini boats and Dornier 228 aircraft. The exercise demonstrates readiness for integrated air, maritime and special operations in island territories.

Notes:
Recently, the President of India undertook a sortie in the indigenous Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand at Air Force Station Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. It is an indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopter made by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. It is the only attack helicopter in the world capable of landing and taking off at 5,000 metres (16,400 feet). It has advanced stealth features, armoured protection and night attack capability. It has crash-resistant landing gear for better survivability. It reduces radar and Infrared (IR) signature and has a countermeasure dispensing system against enemy missiles.

Notes:
The United States carried out strikes on Iranian targets using advanced weapons, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, stealth fighter jets, B-2 bombers, and low-cost one-way attack drones. Tomahawk is an United States of American (USA)-made long-range subsonic cruise missile used for deep land attack. It is launched from ships or submarines through a Vertical Launch System. It was first developed in the 1970s during the Cold War. It can carry a 1,000-pound conventional warhead or cluster munitions. It uses solid propellant at launch and later a turbofan engine, reducing infrared detection.

Notes:
The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) was recently used by the United States for the first time in operations by United States Central Command during the conflict with Iran. It is a surface-to-surface guided ballistic missile designed to strike long-distance targets with very high precision. The missile is developed mainly for the United States Army by Lockheed Martin, a major US aerospace and defence company. It has an open system architecture and modular design, allowing upgrades and integration with new technologies.

Notes:
The United States and South Korea conducted the joint military exercise “Freedom Shield” involving thousands of troops. Around 18,000 South Korean troops are participating, while the number of United States troops is not officially confirmed. The exercise continued till 19 March 2026 and focuses on defence preparedness and coordination. North Korea strongly opposes such exercises, viewing them as a rehearsal for invasion. These drills often trigger reactions from North Korea, including missile tests and military demonstrations.

Notes:
The Indian Army’s Southern Command conducted Exercise Amogh Jwala at the Babina Field Firing Ranges, Uttar Pradesh, to demonstrate high-tempo mechanised warfare capabilities. The exercise showcased the integrated use of advanced military assets, including attack helicopters, fighter aircraft, drones, counter-drone systems, and modern battlefield technologies. It was conducted in a multi-domain operational environment, combining land, air, cyber, and space elements to reflect modern warfare requirements. The drill emphasized synchronisation of fire and manoeuvre, along with real-time drone-enabled surveillance and target acquisition.

Notes:
India is set to receive the remaining two units of the S-400 Triumf from Russia in 2026, completing the delivery under the deal. The system was procured under a $5.43 billion agreement signed in 2018 for five squadrons, out of which three are already inducted into the Indian Air Force. The S-400 is a modern long-range surface-to-air missile (MLR SAM) system developed by Russia. It can track and destroy multiple aerial targets at once within a range of up to 600 kilometres. The S-400 provides a powerful multi-layered air defence shield against threats like fighter jets, drones, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and stealth aircraft.

Notes:
Agray, an anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft, has been delivered to the Indian Navy. It is the fourth of eight ASW Shallow Water Crafts, aimed at strengthening coastal defence capabilities. The vessel is indigenously designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers. It is a reincarnation of the earlier INS Agray, a patrol vessel decommissioned in 2017. The ship has been constructed as per standards of the Indian Register of Shipping. It uses waterjet propulsion, making it among the largest Indian naval warships to use this technology. It is equipped with lightweight torpedoes, indigenous rocket launchers, and advanced shallow water SONAR systems for effective submarine detection.