Defence Current Affairs MCQs

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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.

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Sheshnaag-150 is a long-range swarm attack drone being developed in India for deep-strike military missions. It is being developed by NewSpace Research and Technologies (NRT), which focuses on Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based unmanned systems and swarm robotics. It is a collaborative swarm drone, meaning multiple drones can coordinate autonomously to carry out saturation attacks on targets. The drone weighs around 150 kg and can carry 25–40 kg payload, including explosive warheads capable of damaging infrastructure or military vehicles.

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INS Trikand will participate in the 58th National Day celebrations of Mauritius, reflecting India–Mauritius maritime cooperation. It is a Talwar-class guided-missile frigate of the Indian Navy and the third and final ship of the second batch of this class. The ship was built at Yantar Shipyard, Kaliningrad in Russia and commissioned on 29 June 2013 at Kaliningrad. It operates under the Western Fleet of the Western Naval Command (WNC) headquartered at Mumbai.

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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.

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The Indian Navy’s stealth frigate INS Nilgiri is participating in the Sea Phase of the Royal Australian Navy-hosted multinational Exercise KAKADU 2026 in Darwin, Australia. The exercise focuses on enhancing maritime interoperability, strengthening cooperation, and improving mutual understanding among participating nations. It serves as a key engagement for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), bringing together numerous nations to promote maritime security. This participation highlights India’s commitment to building a secure, stable Indo-Pacific region through strengthened naval cooperation

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Indian Navy hosted IMEX TTX 2026 (IONS Maritime Exercise Tabletop Exercise 2026) at Maritime Warfare Centre, Southern Naval Command, Kochi. It involved members of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium and international officers to discuss maritime security. Countries like Bangladesh, France, Indonesia, Kenya, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Timor-Leste participated. India assumes IONS Chairmanship (2026–2028) after 16 years.

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North Korea confirmed testing new cluster-warhead systems on Hwasong-11A short-range ballistic missiles, designed to destroy wide targets. The Hwasong-11A (also known as KN-23) is a short-range ballistic missile developed by North Korea. The tests demonstrated the ability to disperse bomblets over a 6 to 7-hectare area using Hwasong-11 missiles, aiming to maximize damage against soft targets and infrastructure.

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INS Dhruv is India’s first dedicated nuclear missile tracking and ocean surveillance ship, enhancing strategic maritime capability. It was commissioned on 10 September 2021 and built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) in collaboration with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO). The ship tracks ballistic missiles, gathers Electronic Intelligence (ELINT), and supports India’s missile defence programme. It provides early warning of missile threats and helps calibrate Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) systems using trajectory data.

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India plans to equip Dassault Mirage 2000 jets with Astra Mark-2 missiles, enhancing interception up to 240 kilometres and boosting aerial dominance. Astra Mark-2 is a Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missile, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). More than 50 industries, including Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), contributed to its development. Astra Mark-1 (90–100 kilometres range) is already inducted in the Indian Air Force (IAF) on LCA Tejas and Su-30 MKI.

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Russia has approved the sale of the R-37M (Russian long-range air-to-air missile), also known as AA-13 Axehead (North Atlantic Treaty Organization reporting name), to India to enhance its air combat capability. The missile is designed for BVR (Beyond Visual Range) combat, allowing it to strike targets at very long distances without direct visual contact. It is developed to destroy enemy fighter jets, drones, and other aerial threats effectively. The missile is nicknamed an “AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) Killer” because it can target high-value aircraft like radar planes, refuelling tankers, and jamming systems.