Defence Current Affairs MCQs

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Recently, France released images of its new nuclear-capable supersonic cruise missile, the Air-Sol Moyenne Portée-Renove (ASMPA-R), for the first time. ASMPA-R was developed by France as the latest version of the ASMP medium-range missile family. It is a crucial part of France’s nuclear deterrence and supports the air-based leg of its nuclear triad. It uses a ramjet engine with dual air intakes for sustained supersonic flight at about Mach 3.

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The eighth India-UK Joint Military Exercise AJEYA WARRIOR-25 began recently at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges, Rajasthan. Exercise Ajeya Warrior is a joint military exercise between India and the United Kingdom. It is a 14-day exercise held from 17 to 30 November 2025. A total of 240 personnel are participating, with equal representation from the Indian Army and the British Army. Indian troops are from the Sikh Regiment. The exercise is conducted under a United Nations (UN) mandate focusing on counter-terrorism in semi-urban areas.

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Ukraine recently used US-supplied Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles to strike targets inside Russia, marking an important development in the current conflict. Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) is a United States (US) made surface-to-surface ballistic missile series developed in the 1980s by Lockheed Martin. The missile was first used in the 1991 Persian Gulf War and is also operated by Bahrain, Greece, South Korea, Taiwan and the UAE. It is an all-weather, inertially guided ballistic missile with a 305 km range and single-stage solid propulsion.

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Bharat Electronics Limited and Safran Electronics and Defence (SED) signed a joint venture to produce the HAMMER Weapon System in India. HAMMER stands for Highly Agile and Manoeuvrable Munition Extended Range, developed by French company Safran. It is an air-to-ground precision-guided weapon system, also called a glide bomb. It has a range of up to 70 km and can be attached to 250 kg, 500 kg, and 1,000 kg standard bombs. It is resistant to jamming, can be launched from low altitudes, and works well over rough terrain.

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Safran Aircraft Engine Services India (SAESI) facility at GMR Aerospace & Industrial Park – SEZ, Hyderabad has been inaugurated. It is a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) centre for LEAP (Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion) engines of Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. It is one of the world’s largest aircraft engine MROs and the first global engine OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) MRO set up in India.

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Goa Shipyard Limited handed over ICGS Amulya, the third of eight Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs), to the Indian Coast Guard. The vessel is 51.43 m long, 330 tonnes, and uses Controllable Pitch Propellers (CPP) for better fuel efficiency. It has a top speed over 27 knots and a range of 1,500 nautical miles. It will be crewed by 6 officers and 35 sailors. It is built for fisheries protection, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) surveillance, anti-smuggling, anti-piracy, and Search and Rescue (SAR) missions. The ship will strongly boost India’s coastal and offshore security.

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Exercise Harimau Shakti 2025 is a joint military exercise conducted between India and Malaysia at the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan from 5–18 December 2025. The Indian Army is represented by troops from the DOGRA Regiment, while Malaysia is represented by the 25th Battalion Royal Malaysian Army. The exercise aims to jointly rehearse Sub-Conventional Operations under Chapter VII of the United Nations Mandate, focusing on realistic counter-terrorism scenarios. Both armies practice full tactical drills such as cordon, search and destroy missions, heliborne operations, securing helipads and casualty evacuation.

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Exercise Ekatha 2025 was held in Maldives from 15–17 December 2025. Exercise Ekatha, established in 2017, is an annual bilateral maritime exercise, conducted between the Indian Navy and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). The 8th edition focused on interoperability and operational synergy through technical/combat diving, boarding operations, firing drills, demolition, explosive handling, asymmetric warfare, and special heli-borne drills.

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Indian Army received the last 3 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, completing a fleet of 6, based at 451 Army Aviation Squadron, Jodhpur (Rajasthan). AH-64E Apache, also called Apache Guardian, is the most advanced multi-role combat helicopter in the world. It performs advanced reconnaissance, precision strikes, and close air support missions. It was developed by the United States. AH-64E is the latest and most upgraded version used by the United States Army.

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Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 335, named “The Ospreys”, was commissioned at INS Hansa, Goa on 17 December 2025. It is the second Indian Naval Squadron to operate MH-60R multirole helicopters after the first was commissioned in Kochi in March 2024. MH-60R helicopter is an all-weather, day-night platform capable of Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW), Search and Rescue (SAR), Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) and Vertical Replenishment (VERTREP). The induction of MH-60R helicopters will greatly enhance the Indian Navy’s aviation strength and maritime operations on the Western Seaboard.