Defence Current Affairs MCQs

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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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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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India is set to receive the remaining two units of the S-400 Triumf from Russia in 2026, completing the delivery under the deal. The system was procured under a $5.43 billion agreement signed in 2018 for five squadrons, out of which three are already inducted into the Indian Air Force. The S-400 is a modern long-range surface-to-air missile (MLR SAM) system developed by Russia. It can track and destroy multiple aerial targets at once within a range of up to 600 kilometres. The S-400 provides a powerful multi-layered air defence shield against threats like fighter jets, drones, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and stealth aircraft.

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Rajnath Singh laid the foundation of the Large Cavitation Tunnel (LCT) at Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) in Visakhapatnam. NSTL is a premier lab under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The Large Cavitation Tunnel (LCT) is a strategic facility for advanced hydrodynamic research and testing of naval systems. It will enable indigenous design, development, and testing of ships, submarines, and propulsion systems. It supports stealth, noise reduction, and next-generation underwater technologies. The facility allows both closed-loop (submarine) and free-surface (surface ship) simulations.

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INS Taragiri was commissioned into the Indian Navy on April 3, 2026, at Visakhapatnam by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. It is the fourth ship of the Project 17A class, designed by the Warship Design Bureau. It was built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, it has over 75% indigenous content with MSME support. The frigate features advanced stealth technology with reduced radar cross-section. It supports multi-role operations: combat, surveillance, anti-piracy, and humanitarian missions.

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The Ministry of Defence signed contracts worth ₹975 crore to procure TRAWL assemblies for T-72 tank and T-90 tank to enhance minefield breaching capability of the Indian Army. The agreements were signed with Bharat Earth Movers Limited and Electro Pneumatics and Hydraulics (India) Private Limited in New Delhi. The TRAWL system, developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation, enables tanks to safely pass through minefields, including those with advanced anti-tank mines and magnetic fuses. The procurement falls under the Buy (Indian–Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) category, promoting domestic defence production.

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The Defence Research and Development Organisation and Indian Navy conducted the maiden salvo launch of the Naval Anti-Ship Missile–Short Range (NASM-SR) off the Bay of Bengal near Odisha. NASM-SR is India’s first indigenous helicopter-launched anti-ship missile, replacing the Sea Eagle missile. It has been developed by Research Centre Imarat with other DRDO labs. The missile has a range of about 55 km and supports fire-and-forget capability in all weather conditions. It uses a solid booster and long-burn sustainer propulsion system.

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Yildirimhan Missile is a prototype intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) unveiled by Turkey to strengthen defence self-reliance and expand its strategic military capabilities. The missile is capable of targeting regions across Europe, Africa, and Asia if launched from Turkey. Yildirimhan can reportedly travel at speeds up to Mach 25, which is nearly 25 times the speed of sound and falls under hypersonic speed range. It uses four rocket propulsion engines and is powered by liquid nitrogen tetroxide fuel, which improves range and payload capacity.

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India successfully conducted the second flight trial of the Divyastra Missile from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha. Divyastra is an advanced Agni missile equipped with Multiple Independently Targeted Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology. It was developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). MIRV technology enables a single missile to carry multiple nuclear warheads that can strike different targets independently. MIRV technology was first developed by the United States in the 1960s.