Defence Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
INS Mahendragiri, the 6th Project 17A indigenous stealth frigate, was commissioned into the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet at Visakhapatnam. It was designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, with over 75% indigenous content. The warship is equipped with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, advanced stealth features, multifunction radar, anti-air, anti-surface, anti-submarine warfare systems, and electronic warfare capabilities. It is named after the Mahendragiri mountain range in the Eastern Ghats, the warship carries the motto “Mighty, Majestic, Matchless.”

Notes:
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is participating in Exercise Pitch Black 2026 in Australia. The exercise will be held from 20 July to 7 August 2026 at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) bases in Darwin, Tindal, and Amberley. Exercise Pitch Black is the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) premier multinational air combat exercise. The exercise aims to enhance interoperability, combat flying skills, operational coordination, and defence cooperation. India will participate in complex air combat scenarios alongside air forces from the Indo-Pacific and Europe.

Notes:
The Indian Navy recently received another MH-60R Seahawk multi-role naval helicopter from the United States. The MH-60R Seahawk (“Romeo”) is a state-of-the-art multi-mission naval helicopter. It is manufactured by Lockheed Martin, a US defence company. It is designed for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW), maritime surveillance, search and rescue (SAR), medical evacuation, and shipborne operations. It serves as the US Navy’s primary anti-submarine and surface warfare helicopter.

Notes:
The Indian Navy launched DSC A24, the fifth and final vessel under the Diving Support Craft (DSC) Project. The vessel was launched at Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL), Kolkata, West Bengal. The DSCs feature a catamaran-hull design with a displacement of 300–400 tonnes. The vessels are built according to the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) Naval Rules. They will enhance the Navy’s diving support, underwater inspection, salvage assistance, and coastal operations.

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Qadr-F missile was recently in the news amid heightened Middle East tensions and Iran–Israel military exchanges. Qadr-F is a medium-range ballistic missile developed by Iran. It has an estimated range of around 2,000 km and is derived from the Shahab-3 missile family. The missile is a key long-range asset of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). It is deployed alongside Iran’s Emad and Kheiber missiles as part of its strategic missile capabilities.

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The Indian Navy’s Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) ‘Shruti’ (Yard 3037) was launched at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. The vessel supports India’s focus on indigenous warship construction under Aatmanirbhar Bharat. The name Shruti refers to India’s ancient Vedic tradition and the four Vedas. It will undertake missions including maritime surveillance, search and rescue, offshore asset protection, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and anti-piracy operations.

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The Indian Army contingent has departed for Thailand to participate in the 15th edition of India-Thailand Joint Military Exercise MAITREE-XV (2026). The exercise is scheduled to take place from August 18–31, 2026, at Vibhavadi Rangsit Camp, Surat Thani, Thailand. The exercise focuses on counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in jungle and semi-urban terrain. It aims to enhance interoperability, mutual understanding and military cooperation between India and Thailand. Exercise MAITREE was instituted in 2006.

Notes:
The United States Army has temporarily halted AH-64 Apache training flights following a crash near Fort Hood, Texas, that killed two soldiers. The AH-64 Apache is a two-seat attack helicopter, with the pilot seated at the rear and the co-pilot/gunner in the front. 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.

Notes:
Nipun is the second Diving Support Vessel (DSV) of the Nistar-class being inducted into the Indian Navy. It is indigenously designed and constructed by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam. The vessel will strengthen the Navy’s capabilities in deep-sea diving, underwater intervention and submarine rescue operations. Nipun is equipped with modern diving systems, navigation and platform-management systems, station-keeping capabilities and medical facilities. Its induction reflects India’s growing self-reliance and indigenisation in specialised defence shipbuilding.

Notes:
The Indian Navy commissioned INS Nipun, its second Diving Support Vessel (DSV), at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) built the vessel, which was delivered to the Navy at Visakhapatnam on 30 July 2026. INS Nipun is designed for deep-sea diving, underwater intervention and submarine rescue operations. The vessel is capable of deep-sea saturation diving and is equipped with a side diving stage. It carries Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) for diver monitoring and salvage operations. INS Nipun can also function as a mother ship for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV) during submarine emergencies.