Defence Current Affairs MCQs

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.

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On 02 March 2026, Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth flagged-in INSV Kaundinya at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai after her maiden overseas voyage to Muscat, Oman. INSV means Indian Naval Sailing Vessel. The voyage revived India’s ancient maritime knowledge and inspires youth towards adventure and innovation. The 20-metre stitched wooden vessel sailed the Arabian Sea without modern reinforcements. Inducted in May 2025, named after legendary mariner Kaundinya, symbolising India’s seafaring heritage.

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The United States has raised concerns about the capabilities of Iran’s Shahed attack drones. Shahed drones are low-cost, one-way-attack unmanned aerial vehicles developed by Iran. These drones are also called “kamikaze” or “suicide” drones as they explode on impact with their targets. The most widely used variants of Shahed drones are Shahed-131 and Shahed-136. Their low cost, low-altitude flight profile, and self-sacrificial nature have earned them the label “the poor man’s cruise missile.”

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The United States conducted a test launch of the Minuteman III missile. Minuteman III is an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) developed by United States. It is part of the US nuclear triad. It is a land-based nuclear missile under the US Air Force Global Strike Command. The missile uses three solid-propellant rocket motors and can reach speeds of about Mach 23 at burnout. It has a range of over 6,000 miles (5,218 nautical miles), enabling long-distance nuclear strike capability.

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Recently, Israel reportedly used the Blue Sparrow missile in a strike in Tehran, targeting Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran. The Blue Sparrow missile is part of an air-launched ballistic missile family that also includes the Black Sparrow missile and Silver Sparrow missile. It is developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, an Israeli defence technology company. The missiles were originally designed as target missiles for testing the Arrow missile defence system of Israel. Later, the Blue Sparrow was modified into an offensive air-to-surface missile. It is about 6.5 metres long and weighs around 1.9 tonnes. The missile is usually launched from fighter aircraft such as F-15 jets, which boost it to high altitude.

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Recently, Iran reportedly destroyed a key THAAD radar system used by the United States in the Middle East, affecting part of its missile-defence network. THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) is an advanced ballistic missile defence system developed by the United States to counter missile threats. It is designed to intercept short, medium and limited intermediate-range ballistic missiles during the terminal phase, which is the final stage of their flight. The system can destroy incoming missiles both inside and outside Earth’s atmosphere, providing a high-altitude defence layer.

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Kheybar Shekan Missile is a long-range solid-fuel ballistic missile developed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran. Recently, Iran claimed that IRGC used Kheybar Shekan missiles to target the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and an Israeli Air Force command centre. The missile belongs to the Khorramshahr missile family and represents an advanced generation of Iran’s missile system. It has an approximate range of about 1,450 kilometres, enabling strikes across much of the Middle East region. It uses solid fuel technology, which allows faster launch preparation, easier storage, and improved mobility.

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An Indian Armed Forces contingent arrived in Seychelles for the 11th edition of “Lamitiye 2026”, a joint military exercise with the Seychelles Defence Forces, held from March 9 to March 20 at the Seychelles Defence Academy. “Lamitiye”, meaning “friendship” in Creole, is a biennial exercise conducted since 2001 in Seychelles. All three Indian Armed Forces services are participating: Army (Assam Regiment), Navy (INS Trikand), and Air Force (C-130 aircraft). The 12-day exercise includes joint tactical drills, field training, combat discussions, case studies, lectures, and demonstrations, ending with a two-day validation exercise.

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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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The Indian Army has started fielding Shaurya Squadrons, which are dedicated drone sub-units within armoured regiments. Shaurya Squadrons provide tank commanders with real-time surveillance and precision-strike capability at the unit level. Each squadron has 20 to 30 personnel trained in drone and counter-drone operations. They operate surveillance drones, attack drones, swarm drones, first-person view (FPV) drones, and loitering munitions.