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Current Affairs March 2017 - Defence
News 1 - India successfully test-fired a supersonic interceptor missile
India successfully carried out an interceptor missile test. The indigenously developed supersonic interceptor missile can destroy any incoming enemy ballistic missile at low altitude.
The interceptor is a 7.5-meter long single stage solid rocket propelled guided missile equipped with a navigation system, a hi-tech computer and an electro-mechanical activator, the official said. India is the fourth country in the world to have a ballistic missile defence programme.
News 2 - Indian Navy successfully conducted their maiden firing of Anti-Ship missile
The Indian Navy successfully test-fired an antiship missile for the first time from an indigenously built Kalvari class submarine in the Arabian Sea.
All six Kalvari class submarines being built in India will be equipped with this anti-ship missile. These missiles will provide the submarines the ability to neutralise surface threats at extended ranges. This missile launch is a significant milestone in enhancing the Indian Navy’s sub-surface warfare capability.
News 3 - DRDO handed over its developed products to Indian Army
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) handed over three of its products for induction into the Indian Army. The products were namely (i) Weapon Locating Radar (WLR), SWATHI, (ii) NBCRecce vehicle and (iii) NBC Drugs.
DRDO has been developing several products for the Indian Army in support of their field operations and welfare of soldiers on ground. Many of these products have been inducted and are presently operational in field units. These weapons are developed by DRDO’s Electronics & Radar Development Establishment (LRDE).
News 4 - INHS Asvini wins Raksha Mantri's Trophy
The Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar presented the Raksha Mantri’s Trophy and Citation for the best Service Hospital in the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) for the year 2016 to INHS Asvini, Mumbai.
The Command Hospital (Southern Command), Pune and Command Hospital (Northern Command) Udhampur were jointly adjudged the second-best Service Hospitals. The 'Raksha Mantri's Trophy' was instituted in 1989 to create a healthy competition among the Command Hospitals of the Army and its equivalent hospitals in the Navy and Air Force.
News 5 - University of Hyderabad research projects bagged Rs. 113 Crore funding
Strategic research projects at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) Centre-ARCHEM will get Rs. 113 crores funding for the next five years. It is supported by the Defence Ministry.
The University will soon become the first public-funded University to house a 500 MHz NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance), as a joint facility between The Advanced Centre for Research in High Energy Materials (ARCHEM) and the School of Chemistry. ARCHEM will drive at least 30 national projects, which are aimed at boosting indigenous efforts of critical defence technologies.
News 6 - World’s oldest serving aircraft carrier INS Viraat decommissioned
India’s oldest serving aircraft carrier INS Viraat was decommissioned from service. it was also the world’s oldest aircraft carrier in active service. The warship completed 30 years in service.
This carrier is referred to as the ‘Grand Old Lady’ in the naval community. It was first commissioned in 1959 in the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom as HMS Hermes. Later it was commissioned in the Indian Navy on May 12, 1987.
News 7 - Indo - Oman Joint Army Exercise Al Nagah-Ii 2017
A 14-day joint defence exercise 'Al-Nagah-II' between the armies of India and Oman began at Bakloh in Himachal Pradesh. It is the second edition of the joint exercise. The previous edition of the Exercise was held at Muscat, Oman in 2015.
The aim of this exercise was to acquaint both forces with each other’s operating procedures, improve the interoperability in conducting joint operations in the backdrop of counter insurgency/counter terrorism environment as also to enhance the existing military relationship between the Indian Army and the Royal Army of Oman.
News 8 - Indo-Nepal joint Military exercise 'Surya Kiran'
The 11th Indo-Nepal Joint Military Exercise Surya Kiran was held at Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand. The fourteen-day exercise was aimed at training of troops in counter insurgency operations in mountainous terrain. It formally incorporated issues related to humanitarian assistance and disaster management. It will help enhance defence co-operation and military relations between the two countries.
The Nepal Army was represented by the officers and troops of the elite DURGA BAKSH Battalion while the EKTA SHAKTI Battalion of the Punjab Regiment participated on behalf of the Indian Army.
News 9 - INS Tillanchang commissioned by Indian Navy at Karvar
INS Tillanchang, a Water Jet Fast Attack Craft was commissioned into the Indian Navy by Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command, at Karwar. The ship has been indigenously designed and built and is an upgrade from the Chetlat class.
INS Tillanchang is about 50m long and powered by three waterjet propulsion system, which give it speeds of over 35 knots. The ship is armed with a 30mm main gun and manned by 50 personnel.
News 10 - India successfully test-fires the new BrahMos supersonic cruise missile
India successfully test-fired an extended range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from the Chandipur Integrated Test Range, off the Odisha coast.
This is the first test of the missile after its strike range was extended following India’s entry in Missile Technology Control Regime. The strike range of the new BrahMos missile has been enhanced from 290 to 450 kms. The missile can carry a warhead of 300 kgs. Another version of the missile with a strike range of 800 kms is under development.
News 11 - India and Russia inked long-term support pact on Sukhoi Su-30MKI
India and Russia inked two long-term support agreements for the Sukhoi Su-30MKI combat aircraft fleet. The five-year contract is expected to be worth $300 million.
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and United Aircraft Corporation and United Engine Corporation have signed the agreement for general terms and conditions governing the long-term supply of spares and rendering technical assistance for five years for Su-30 MKI aircraft. A logistics hub would also be set up in Bangalore where HAL assembles Su-30MKI.
News 12 - India-Russia Military Industrial Conference
The India-Russia Military Industrial Conference was held in New Delhi. About 150 representatives from Russia participated in the conference.
The conference was organized by the Department of Defence Production in the Ministry of Defence. It primarily aims at addressing issues related to life-cycle support and maintenance of major Russian-origin equipments/platforms such as the SU-30 MKI Aircrafts, Mi-17 Helicopters, MiG-29K Aircrafts, INS Vikramaditya and T-90 tanks.
News 13 - DRDO handed three naval systems to Navy
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) handed over following three Naval Systems to the Indian Navy −
USHUS-II Submarine Sonar − A highly-evolved compendium of multiple sensors.
Directing Gear for Hull Mounted Sonar Array − An electro-mechanical system that supports the transducer array of hull-mounted ship sonar systems and rotates it at a controlled speed
RLG based Inertial Navigation System for Ship Applications (INSSA) − Provides vital information on the ship's position coordinates and heading for steering it to its destination accurately.
News 14 - Indian Navy successfully test fired surface-to-air missile from INS Vikramaditya
The Indian Navy has successfully test fired the newly installed surface-to-air Barak missile system from its aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. The test was conducted in the Arabian Sea against a live low-flying high speed target.
This exercise was carried out by the Navy as part of the ‘Operational Readiness Inspection’ of the Western Fleet.
INS Vikramaditya is a modified Kiev-class aircraft carrier which entered service with the Indian Navy in 2013.
News 15 - Indian Navy to de-induct TU142M Long Range Maritime Patrol aircraft after 29 years
The Indian Navy's long-range maritime patrol aircraft TU 142M was de-inducted after 29 years of accident-free service. The workhorse played a key role in operations including the IPKF mission in Sri Lanka. TU 142M was inducted in the Navy at Dabolim in Goa in 1998 from Russia.
The Tupolev-142M fleet is being replaced by 12 P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft of Boeing. The new aircrafts are equipped with harpoon anti-ship missiles, lightweight torpedoes, rockets and new generation sensors and radars.
News 16 - Inauguration of ‘Test Bed’ of Integrated Automatic Aviation Meteorological Systems (IAAMS) at INS Rajali
Admiral Sunil Lanba, PVSM, AVSM, ADC Chief of the Naval Staff, inaugurated the first ever ‘Integrated Automatic Aviation Meteorological System (IAAMS)’ at INS Rajali. The IAAMS is an ambitious project of the Indian Navy to modernise the meteorological infrastructure of the nine Naval Air Stations (NAS). INS Rajali at Arakkonam was identified for setting up this sophisticated system on a ‘Test Bed’ site.
It is equipped with the state of the art Meteorological Sensors viz., Radar Vertical Wind Profiler, Transmissometer, Ceilometer and Automatic Weather Observation System.
News 17 - The INLCU L51 commissioned into the India Navy
The INLCU L51 was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 28th Mar 2017. It is first of the eight ships of the LCU Mk IV Class. It has been built by M/s Garden Reach Ship Builders & Engineers Ltd, Kolkata.
The ship has a displacement of 900 tons and spans 62.8 meters in length and 11 meters in breadth. It is propelled by 02 MTU diesel engines and can sustain speeds up to 15 knots. It has been built to assist in amphibious operations by carrying out beaching operations.