Defence - General Knowledge Questions

The sixth edition of Japan India Maritime Exercise 2022 (JIMEX 2022) hosted by Indian Navy commenced in the Bay of Bengal on 11 September 2022.

 

The Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) ships are being led by R Adm Hirata Toshiyuki, Commander Escort Flotilla Four, and Indian Naval ships by R Adm Sanjay Bhalla, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet.

 

The Indian Naval ships welcomed JMSDF ships Izumo, a Helicopter Carrier, and Takanami, a Guided Missile Destroyer, on their arrival in the Bay of Bengal. The Indian Navy is being represented by three indigenously designed and built warships; Sahyadri, a multi-purpose stealth frigate and Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvettes Kadmatt and Kavaratti.

Additionally, Guided Missile Destroyer Ranvijay, Fleet Tanker Jyoti, Offshore Patrol Vessel Sukanya, submarines, MIG 29K fighter aircraft, Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft and ship borne helicopters are also participating in the exercise.

 

JIMEX 2022 involves two Phases; exercises at sea and a harbour phase at Visakhapatnam.

 

This edition marks the 10th anniversary of JIMEX, which began in Japan in 2012. It also coincides with the 70th anniversary of establishing of diplomatic relations between India and Japan. JIMEX 2022 seeks to consolidate the high degree of interoperability that exists between maritime forces of the two countries, through complex exercises in the surface, sub-surface and air domains..

Source : Indian Navy

China has successfully tested its first Unmanned Aerial Aircraft fueled entirely by solar energy. Its name is Qimingxing-50, or “Morning Star.” It has cutting-edge technology, is a very well-equipped unmanned aerial vehicle, and has its own strategic value.

 

According to a report in the South China Morning Post, the drone took off from an airport in the north-western Chinese province of Shaanxi at 5.50pm on September 3, 2022 and propelled in the sky for about 26 minutes before landing safely at 6:16pm.

 

What is the significance of this test flight : The Qimingxing-50, with a wingspan of 50 m, is a high-altitude long-endurance drone that is capable of high altitude aerial reconnaissance, assessing forest fire and can also be used for communications. This technology will bolster Chinese defences in space and at sea.

It can be used in the field of renewable energy, new materials and aeronautical engineering. The Chinese official also asserted that this test flight is an important step towards sustainable development.

 

The UAV, whose name translates as Morning star-50 in English, is claimed to be capable of functioning uninterrupted for months. This capability of having long endurance flight gives it a use case of operating as a satellite. Like satellites, it is fully electric-driven powered by solar energy and can operate at 20 km above the Earth’s surface for an extended period continuously.

It is also referred to as a ‘High Altitude Platform Stations’ or a pseudo satellite. It can be used when there is unavailability or disruption in satellite services. Compared to the cost and complexity of installing a satellite in orbit, this UAV is much more cost-effective and easy to operate, the report says.

 

Other countries with similar technology : The United States and the United Kingdom have already developed solar-powered drones that can fly 20 km up in the sky. In July this year, the US army helped test a solar-powered, near-space Airbus Zephyr S drone that remained in the sky for 64 continuous days before it crash-landed in Arizona.

Earlier in 2019, a Hawk30 – high-altitude pseudo-satellite – developed for high-altitude communications successfully completed its test flights. It is a grown version of the NASA Pathfinder and NASA Helios..

Source : Interesting Engineering

'Taragiri', the third stealth-guided missile frigate of Project 17A was launched into the Arabian Sea in Mumbai on Sunday(11th Sep 2022) - marking a major step in India’s defence indigenisation programme. 

 

The Mumbai-based Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL), one of the finest shipbuilders, is executing Project 17A or the Nilgiri-class of ships for the Indian Navy. 

The total value of Project 17A is around Rs 25,700 crores.

 

The first ship of Project 17A, Nilgiri was launched on September 28, 2019, and is expected to be ready for sea trials in the first half of 2024.

 

The second ship of P17A class, 'Udaygiri' was launched on May 17, 2022, and is expected to start sea trials during the second half of 2024. 

 

The third in the series, 'Taragiri', whose keel was laid on September 10, 2020, was launched on Sunday. The ship is expected to be delivered in 2025..

Source : Deccanherald

 

Army’s Kharga Corps and the Indian Air Force conducted a joint exercise to showcase the might and prowess of the armed forces.

 

Termed “Gagan Strike”, the exercise was conducted over a period of four days in several areas of Punjab, bordering Ambala in Haryana.  

 

In a statement release defence on Friday(9th Sep 2022), the army said the operation validated the Apache 64E and Advanced Light Helicopter WSI as potent weapon delivery platforms.

 

Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, General Officer Commanding, Kharga Corps, who spearheaded this exercise, also showcased precision firepower by attack helicopters in coordination with ground forces’ mechanised columns..

Source : Hindustan Times

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Army have successfully completed six flight tests of Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile (QRSAM) system from Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, off the Odisha coast, as part of its evaluation trials, Union Ministry of Defence (MoD) said Thursday(8th Sep 2022).

 

* QRSAM is a short-range Surface Air Missile (SAM) system, which is designed and developed by the DRDO.

 

* The QRSAM aims to provide a protective shield to the moving armored columns of the Army from aerial attacks.

 

* The six flight tests were carried out against high-speed aerial targets mimicking various types of threats to evaluate the capability of the QRSAM as a short-range Surface Air Missile (SAM) system.

 

* The different threat scenarios include long-range medium-altitude, short-range, high-altitude-maneuvering target, low-radar signature with receding and crossing target, and salvo launch with two missiles fired in quick succession.

 

* These tests were conducted in the final deployment configuration consisting of all indigenously-developed sub-systems, including the missile with indigenous radio frequency seeker, mobile launcher, fully automatic command and control system, surveillance, and multi-function radars..

Source : Indian Express

HE Madam Halimah Yacob, the President of Republic of Singapore, conferred the prestigious Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Tentera) [Meritorious Service Medal (Military)] on Admiral Sunil Lanba (Retd), the former Chief of Naval Staff, Indian Navy. 

 

Dr Ng Eng Hen, Defence Minister of Singapore presented the award to Admiral Sunil Lanba (Retd), on behalf of the President, in a solemn Investiture Ceremony, held on 08 Sep 22 at the Ministry of Defence, Singapore.

 

The award is a recognition of strong bilateral defence ties between India and Singapore as well as stellar contribution of Adm Sunil Lanba to strengthen the engagements between the two Navies. During his tenure as the Chief of Naval Staff, the Indian Navy hosted the 25th edition of Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX) at Visakhapatnam in Oct 2018. 

 

Adm Sunil Lanba (Retd) fondly recalled having hosted Dr Ng Eng Hen, Defence Minister of Singapore along with Rear Adm Lue Chuan Hong, the then Chief of Navy, Republic of Singapore Navy onboard INS Shakti for the concluding day of the Sea Phase of the Exercise..

Source : PIB

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be commissioning the indigenously built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant on Friday(2nd Sep 2022) at Kochi. Built at the Cochin Shipyard, it was designed by the Indian Navy's in-house Warship Design Bureau. Prime Minister will also unveil the new Naval Ensign (Nishaan) during the event.

According to a release, Vikrant has been built with state-of-the-art automation features and is the largest ship ever built in the maritime history of India. The indigenous aircraft carrier is named after her illustrious predecessor, India’s first aircraft carrier which had played a vital role in the 1971 war.

 

It has a large number of indigenous equipment and machinery, involving major industrial houses in the country as well as over 100 MSMEs. With the commissioning of Vikrant, India will have two operational aircraft carriers, which will bolster the maritime security of the nation, the release said.

 

After successful sea trials, the Cochin Shipyard handed over her to the Indian Navy on July 28. Built at Rs 20,000 crore, it is 262 metres long and 62 metres wide, and displaces 45,000 tonnes. Inside the ship, it has 15 decks, a multi-speciality hospital, a pool, a kitchen and exclusive cabins for women. And, of course, the ship has technology for carrying, arming and recovering fighter aircraft. 

 

Vikrant has 2,300 compartments, and 2,400km of cables have gone into its making. It has eight gigantic power generators and can generate four lakh litres of water every day. 76 per cent of its constituents are indigenous. Vikrant is powered by four gas turbines totalling 88 megawatt power..

Source : The Week

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make in India in the defence sector received a major boost as the Indian Navy received the first-ever completely made in India 30mm ammunition. The ammunition will be used in AK-630 guns, which is fitted on warships.

 

“Satyanarayan Nuwal, CMD of the Economic Explosives Limited, handed over the first consignment of the ammunition to the Navy’s Chief Vice Admiral SN Ghormade,” the Indian Navy said in a release.

 

Speaking on occasion, Vice Admiral Ghormade said, “This is a major achievement for the country that private industry has developed fully indigenous ammunition. It has been done in 12 months, and all components are indigenous.”

 

The Navy said that it was the first time that the services had placed an order on the Indian private industry to deliver complete gun ammunition and completed it within a record time of 12 months..

Source : India Today

Trials of the Pinaka extended range rocket were carried out at Pokhran Firing Ranges in Rajasthan on Wednesday(24th Aug 2022). Multiple successful test firings were carried out during the tests.

 

The Pinaka rocket has been developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), however, the rockets are produced by private sector firm. The Pinaka is an Artillery Missile System capable of striking into enemy territory up to a range of 75 kilometres with high precision.

 

A total of 24 EPRS rockets were fired for different ranges and all the rockets achieved required accuracy and consistency during the trials.

The EPRS is the upgraded version of Pinaka variant which has been in service with the Indian Army for the last decade.

 

In June 2021, the DRDO had successfully test fired extended range version of indigenously developed Pinaka rocket from a Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) on June 24 and 25 at Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha..

Source : Times now News