Defence Current Affairs MCQs

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Recently, the U.S. military used a Hellfire missile against a tanker heading toward Iran. The AGM-114 Hellfire is a short-range, air-to-ground, subsonic tactical missile developed by Lockheed Martin, United States. It entered service in 1984 and was originally designed as an anti-tank weapon. The missile can also be used against helicopters and slow-moving aircraft. It is deployed from platforms such as AH-64 Apache helicopters, MQ-1 Predator, MQ-9 Reaper drones, fighter aircraft, and ground launchers. The Hellfire missile is used by the United States and around 30 allied countries.

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India signed a $5.43 billion deal with Russia in 2018 to acquire five S-400 regimental systems. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has cleared a proposal to procure five additional S-400 systems. The S-400 Triumf air defence system has been developed by Russia. It was designed and manufactured by Almaz-Antey (specifically the Almaz Central Design Bureau) as a mobile, long-range surface-to-air missile system.The S-400 is capable of tracking and destroying multiple aerial threats simultaneously, including stealth aircraft, drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles.

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The Indian Air Force (IAF) recently announced the successful maiden flight of the first Made-in-India Airbus C-295. The C-295 is a new-generation medium tactical military transport aircraft designed for multiple operational roles. It can perform troop and cargo transport, maritime patrol, surveillance, reconnaissance, signals intelligence, medical evacuation, airborne warning, and air-to-air refuelling. The aircraft has an endurance of up to 11 hours and can operate in all weather conditions.

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Recently, an Indian Army contingent departed to participate in Exercise KHAAN QUEST 2026. The exercise is being held from 20 June to 3 July 2026 at Five Hills Training Area, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. It is a multinational military exercise focused on UN peacekeeping operations under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter. KHAAN QUEST began as a bilateral exercise between the United States and Mongolia in 2003 and became a multilateral exercise in 2006. The Indian contingent consists of 40 personnel, mainly from the Jat Regiment. The exercise focuses on joint planning, patrolling, search operations, civilian evacuation, combat first aid, and casualty evacuation.

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Recently, China’s state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) aired footage of the launch of the Dongfeng-17 (DF-17) hypersonic missile for the first time. The DF-17 is a Chinese solid-fueled medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile officially unveiled in 2019. The missile has an operational range of about 1,800–2,500 km and is deployed on a mobile launcher. It carries the DF-ZF Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV). After launch, the warhead separates at high altitude and re-enters the atmosphere. The glide vehicle maneuvers at speeds of Mach 5–10.

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India and Indonesia signed a deal for the supply of Astra Mk 1 missiles, marking a major step in bilateral defence cooperation. Astra Mk 1 is an indigenous Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The missile is designed for use by both the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy. It has a range of 80–110 km, an altitude of up to 20 km, and a maximum speed of Mach 4.5. It features inertial guidance, mid-course update, and terminal active radar homing, and is powered by a single-pulse smokeless solid-fuel motor.

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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.

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India has developed its first indigenous Expendable Turbo Jet Engine in the 350 kg thrust class. The engine was developed by DRDO’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE). It was successfully realised and delivered to GTRE by Azad Engineering. The development marks a major milestone in India’s indigenous jet engine technology and defence manufacturing capabilities.

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The United States recently deployed the Dark Eagle hypersonic missile in Guam for the first time. The Dark Eagle hypersonic missile system is developed by the United States. It is a non-nuclear, ground-launched missile designed for long-range precision strikes. It is intended to destroy high-value, heavily defended targets such as command centres, air defence systems and missile launchers.

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‘Nipun’, the second Diving Support Vessel (DSV), was delivered to the Indian Navy by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) on 30 July 2026 at Visakhapatnam. The vessel is designed and built as per the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) classification rules. ‘Nipun’ means “adept” or “highly skilled” in Sanskrit. It is equipped for deep-sea saturation diving, underwater rescue, and salvage operations using Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs). The vessel will also function as the Mother Ship for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV) during submarine rescue missions.