Correct Answer :   DRDO and Indian Navy

Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Navy conducted the successful maiden test trial of ‘ADC-150’ from IL 38SD aircraft off the coast of Goa on April 27, 2023.

* ‘ADC-150’ is an indigenously designed and developed Air Droppable Container with 150 kg payload capacity.

* The trial was conducted to enhance the naval operational logistics capabilities by providing quick response to meet the requirement of critical engineering stores to ships (under distress), which are deployed more than 2,000 kms from the coast. It reduces the requirement of ships to come close to the coast to collect spares and stores.


* Three DRDO laboratories - Naval Science & Technological Laboratory (NSTL), Visakhapatnam; Aerial Delivery Research & Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra and Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru - have been involved in the development of ADC-150 container. The crucial flight clearance certification was given by Regional Center for Military Airworthiness (RCMA), Kanpur headed by Centre for Military Airworthiness & Certification (CEMILAC), Bengaluru.

* Secretary, Department of Defence R&D & Chairman DRDO has congratulated the scientists and the Indian Navy for the successful trial of ADC-150.

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   5

* For the first time, the Indian Army has appointed five women officers to its artillery regiment. After successfully completing their training at the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai on Saturday (29th April 2023), the women officers joined the Regiment of Artillery.

* According to reports, the military sources said that the women officers who joined the Regiment of Artillery are Lt Mehak Saini, Lt Sakshi Dubey, Lt Aditi Yadav, Lt Pious Mudgil, and Lt Akanksha.

* Out of the five women officers, three are posted to units deployed along the borders with China and the other two in "challenging locations" near the frontier with Pakistan, reportedly..

Source : Outlook India

Correct Answer :   7th

The seventh edition of 'Ajeya Warrior 2023', a joint military exercise between India and the United Kingdom, began on Thursday (27th April 2023) at the UK's Salisbury Plains. The biennial training event will be held till May 11, 2023.

* The exercises are conducted alternatively in the UK and India and the last edition was held at Chaubatia, Uttarakhand in October 2021.

* The soldiers of the 2 Royal Gorkha Rifles from the UK and Indian Army troops from the Bihar Regiment are participating in the military exercise. The Indian Army contingent arrived at Brize Norton on April 26 in an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft with indigenous weapons and equipment.

* The aim of the military exercise is to "build positive military relations, imbibe each other's best practices and promote the ability to operate together while undertaking company-level sub-conventional operations in urban and semi-urban environments under UN mandate", said the ministry of defence.

* "The scope of this exercise involves a Command Post Exercise (CPX) at the battalion level and company level field training exercise (FTX)".

* During the exercise, the participants from the two armies will engage in a variety of missions testing their operational acumen in various simulated situations and refining tactical drills which would help in developing interoperability between the two armies.

* The military exercise held in cooperation between the Indian Army and the British Army will further foster the bilateral relations between the two nations...

Source : India Today

Correct Answer :   Nagastra

Solar Industries Nagpur on Friday (21st April 2023) said it had bagged an order to supply the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) ‘Nagastra’ to the Indian Army, beating competitors from Israel and Poland.

A Solar Industries official said that with the government’s initiative to bring Atmanirbharta into ammunition and defence systems, the first indigenous Loiter Munition, Nagastra-1, has been designed and developed by Economics Explosives Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of Solar Industries Nagpur, in association with Z-Motion, Bangalore.

A model of ‘Nagastra -1’ loitering munition was recently displayed at the Army Commanders Conference held in New Delhi. The company said that Nagastra-1 with an indigenous content of more than 75%, has many world-class features.

It said that in ‘Kamikaze mode,’ it can neutralise any hostile threat with a GPS-enabled precision strike with an accuracy of 2 metres.

The fixed wing electric UAV has an endurance of 60 min with a man-in-loop range of 15 km and an autonomous mode range of 30 km.

In addition to day-and-night surveillance cameras, the loiter munition is equipped with a fragmenting warhead to defeat soft-skin targets. In case a target is not detected or if the mission is aborted, the loiter munition can be called back and made a soft landing with a parachute recovery mechanism, enabling it to be reused multiple times. It further said that the abort, recover, and reuse features of this loiter munition make this system superior to a similar class of systems developed by advanced countries.

Drone technology has proved to be a force multiplier in military operations, as evident from its application in various recent conflicts across the world, especially in the cases of Armenia-Azerbaijan, Syria, the strike on oilfields in Saudi Arabia, and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

“Even in our context, the recent incidents along the borders have seen a noticeable increase in drone-related incidents along the northern borders.” ‘Solar Industries have taken initiatives to develop a wide array of weaponised drones to neutralise various targets using gravity drop bombs, guided missiles or using them in a Kamikaze mode. This will go a long way to boost indigenous capability of using drones/ UAVs as war machinery,’ company official said..

Source : idrw

Correct Answer :   BMD Interceptor Missile

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Navy successfully conducted a maiden flight trial of sea-based endo-atmospheric interceptor missile off the coast of Odisha in the Bay of Bengal on April 21, 2023.

* The purpose of the trial was to engage and neutralize a hostile ballistic missile threat thereby elevating India into the elite club of Nations having Naval BMD capability.

* Prior to this, DRDO has successfully demonstrated land-based BMD system with capability to neutralize ballistic missile threats, emerging from adversaries.

* Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, Indian Navy and Industry involved in successful demonstration of ship based Ballistic Missile defence capabilities.

* Secretary DDR&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat complimented the teams involved in the design and development of the missile. He said that nation has achieved self-reliance in developing highly-complex network-centric anti-ballistic missile systems..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   Greece

The Indian Air Force (IAF), on Thursday (20th April 2023), announced that it will take part in Exercise INIOCHOS-23 in Greece.

* Exercise INIOCHOS-23 is a multi-national air exercise hosted by the Hellenic Air Force. The exercise will be conducted at the Andravida Air Base in Greece from April 24, 2023, until May 4, 2023.

The Indian Air Force will participate with four Su-30 MKI and two C-17 aircrafts.

The Sukhoi Su-30MKI is a twinjet multirole air superiority fighter developed by Russia's Sukhoi and built under license by India's Hindustan Aeronautics. While the C-17 Globemaster III is a strategic transport aircraft, able to airlift cargo close to a battle area.

Other nations are also expected to take part. It will include Cyprus with an AW139 Helicopter; France with Rafales; Italy with Tornados; Jordan with F-16s; Saudi Arabia with F-15s; Slovenia with PC-9s; Spain with EF-18s; and the USA with F-16s and MQ-9s. Additionally, Austria will participate with INTEL personnel and Canada with Air Battle Managers.

Aim : The aim of the exercise is to enhance international cooperation, synergy and interoperability among the participating Air Forces..

Source : CNBC

Correct Answer :   17 April 2023 to 21 April 2023.

Army Commanders’ Conference (ACC) is an apex-level biannual event which is an institutional platform for conceptual level deliberations, culminating in making important policy decisions for the Indian Army.

* The first ACC for the year 2023 is scheduled from 17 April 2023 to 21 April 2023. For the first time, the ACC is being conducted in Hybrid format exploiting available technology for secure communication, wherein Army Commanders and other senior functionaries will meet virtually on the first day and then travel to Delhi for balance physical meetings on matters which require detailed deliberations.

* On the first-day of the conference, agenda points sponsored by various Command Headquarters will be discussed, followed by an update from Commander-in-Chief Andaman and Nicobar Command and sessions by Principal Staff Officers of the Army Headquarters.

* The forum will also review the progress on the activities charted out as part of ‘Year of Transformation-2023’ along with progress on Agnipath Scheme, digitisation & automation initiatives, Combat Engineers tasks, work aspects and budget management.

* The apex leadership will also brainstorm current / emerging security scenario and review operational preparedness of Indian Army.

* The Hon’ble RM is scheduled to address the conference on 19 April 2023, where he will also review an equipment display focussing on niche techcology, innovation, solutions for surveillance, Artificial Intelligence, Training, Robotics, Virtual Reality, Operational Logistics etc.

* The senior officers will also be addressed by the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of the Naval Staff and the Chief of the Air Staff.

* A talk on future contours of Indo China relations by Mr Vijay Gokhale, former Ambassador to China is also planned during the conference.

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   Agra

Exercise Cope India 23, a bilateral air exercise between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the United States Air Force (USAF) is being held at Air Force Stations Arjan Singh (Panagarh), Kalaikunda and Agra.

Exercise Aim : To enhance mutual understanding between the two Air Forces and share their best practices.

* The first phase of the exercise has commenced on Monday (10th April 2023). This phase of the exercise will focus on air mobility and will involve the transport of aircraft and Special Forces assets from both the Air Forces. Both sides will field the C-130J and C-17 aircraft, with the USAF operating an MC-130J, as well.

* The exercise also includes the presence of Japanese Air Self Defence Force aircrew, who will participate in the capacity of observers.

* The Indian Air Force has recently been engaged in multiple multinational exercises in which the US has also participated including the EX Desert Flag in the UAE and Ex Cobra Warrior in the UK.

* The field training exercise focused on enhancing US-Indian mutual cooperation by building on existing capabilities, aircrew tactics and force employment.

* Cope India began in 2004 as a fighter training exercise held at Air Station Gwalior, India...

Source : The Print

Correct Answer :   Rafale Fighter Jets

In a first, Indian Rafale combat aircraft are likely to participate in a multinational wargame codenamed Orion which is being hosted by France involving many of its NATO and other important allies.

* Indian Air Force Rafale fighter jets are likely to fly to France to participate in "Exercise Orion" being held at a French air base there.

* The wargames are planned to be held from the third week of April to May 5, 2023.

* The aircraft likely to take part in the exercise are likely to be from the Western Air Command of the force which has the Golden Arrows squadron as part of it, they said.

* The exercise is taking place in France with the Russia-Ikroane war in the backdrop where NATO led by US is opposing the Russian moves against Ukraine.

* The Rafales of the IAF have earlier participated in wargames with foreign countries which took place within India including the ones with French Air Force in Jodhpur codenamed Desert Knight.

* The French Air Force would be taking part in the wargames with its NATO and other allies with their Rafale and Mirage-2000 fighter aircraft.

* Orion is reportedly the largest ever multinational exercise being carried out by the French defence forces which have involved their Army, Navy and Air Force along with their allies the US and the UK.

* The Indian Air Force is also going to take part in Exercise Copeindia from 10th April 2023 in Kalaikunda, West Bengal. There is the possibility that the schedule of the drills and availability of American F-15 fighter planes may see some changes.

* The Rafale aircraft are the latest fighters to have been inducted into the Indian Air Force and are considered to be the most potent in the entire Asian region..

Source : NDTV

Correct Answer :   North Korea

North Korea carried out an underwater nuclear attack drone "Haeil-2" test from April 4 to April 7, 2023.

* The underwater nuclear attack drone "Haeil-2" entered into the test in Kajin Port, Kumya County, South Hamgyong Province in the afternoon on April 4, 2023.

* It cruised 1000 km of simulated underwater distance in elliptical and "8" patterns set in the East Sea of Korea for 71 hours and 6 minutes.

* In the afternoon on April 7, 2023 it arrived in the waters off Ryongdae Port, Tanchon City, South Hamgyong Province, the place of simulated target, where the test warhead accurately detonated underwater.

* The system will serve as an advantageous and prospective military potential of the armed forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) essential for containing all evolving military actions of enemies, removing threats and defending the country.

* North Korea has ramped up its military activities in recent weeks in a show of force against the United States and South Korea that conduct joint military drills.

* US and South Korean forces held their biggest war games in five years on the southern part of the Korean Peninsula.

* North Korea has been testing various missiles at the same time, including the test of an intercontinental ballistic missile last week and the tests of smaller-range missiles.

* Earlier in March 2023, it had tested an underwater nuclear attack drone able to unleash a "radioactive tsunami," amid deteriorating relations with the US.

* The drone, called the "Unmanned Underwater Nuclear Attack Craft 'Haeil," was tested from 21 March to 23 March 2023..

Source : Business Standard