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Defence News – January

Israeli Air Force Receives First Anti-Missile Interceptors for Arrow 3 System
i. The first anti-missile interceptors for the Arrow 3 Missile Defense System was inducted
into the Israel Defense Forces on January 18, 2017 by both Israel’s Defense Ministry and the
US Missile Defense Agency during a ceremony held on the Palmachim Air Base.
ii. Each Arrow 3 Missile is estimated to cost about $2.2 million. They have been designed to
enable interception of ballistic missiles beyond the earth’s atmosphere. Interception at that
altitude enables missiles carrying nuclear warheads to be blocked farther from Israel and stops
the enemy missile to harm the territory.
iii. The Arrow-3 interceptor is a part of Israel’s Arrow weapon system (AWS) and has been jointly
developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), U.S. Department of Defense’s Missile
Defense Agency and Boeing.

BSF launches operation ‘SardHawa’ at Rajasthan border

i. Border Security Force (BSF) has launched its 14 day operation SardHawa at the western
international border of Rajasthan on January 15, 2017 to check the instances of infilteration due
to the dense fog in the area.
ii. Aim: To keep a hawks eye on the international border, where vigil has been beefed-up and
officers have also been asked to be part of operation to motivate jawans.
iii. The operation will end on January 28, 2017.

Pakistan Navy Receives Two Ships From China to Ensure Security along Gwadar Port
i. China has handed over two ships to Pakistan Navy on January 15, 2017 in order to ensure
joint security along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the Gwadar port.
ii. The two ships were received by the Pakistan Navy Vice Admiral ArifullahHussaini at a
ceremony held at Gwadar port.
iii. The ships named Hingol and Basol gets its name from nearby rivers in Pakistan. China will
provide two more ships to Pakistan Navy named Dasht and Zhob after two districts in
Balochistan.

INS Khanderi, Second Scorpene Class Submarine Launched in Mumbai

i. INS Khanderi, India’s second French-designed Scorpene-class diesel-electric attack
submarine was launched in Mumbai on January 12, 2017 at the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders
Limited (MDL).
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ii. The Submarine was launched by BinaBhamre, wife of the Union Minister of State (MoS) for
Defence, SubhashBhamre in the presence of Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba.

Chinese Navy Commissions Sophisticated Ship CNS Kaiyangxing into its Fleet
i. The China’s Navy commissioned a sophisticated electronic reconnaissance ship CNS
Kaiyangxing or Mizar to North Sea Fleet in Qingdao, Shandong province on January 10, 2017.
ii. The new ship with hull code 856 is capable of conducting all-weather, round-the-clock
observation on multiple targets. The ship is so sophisticated that only a few countries, such as the
US and Russia, are capable of developing it.
iii. The Kaiyangxing is a Type 815A electronic reconnaissance ship, with displacement of
6,000 metric tons and a maximum speed of 20 knots or 37 kilometers per hour.

Guided Pinaka Rocket Successfully Test-Fired by India

i. India successfully test-fired the Guided Pinaka Rocket from Launch Complex-III of
the Integrated Test Range (ITR) launch pad at Chandipur off coast Odisha.
ii. With the test-firing all the mission objectives were successfully met. All the radars, electro
optical and telemetry systems at Chandipur tracked and monitored the weapon all through the
flight path.
iii. The Guided Pinaka is a modified version of the Pinaka rocket mark-II which has evolved
from Pinaka Mark-I. Pinaka rocket mark-II is equipped with a navigation, guidance and control
kit. The modified version has considerably enhanced the strike range and accuracy of Pinaka.
iv. The Guided Pinaka is developed jointly by Armament Research & Development
Establishment (ARDE), Research Centre Imarat (RCI) and Defence Research and
Development Laboratory (DRDL).

Indian Navy’s Theatre Level Exercise, TROPEX 17 Begins

i. The Theatre Readiness Operational Exercise (TROPEX), an annual Indian Navy exercise
kicked started on January 24, 2017 off the Western Seaboard. The last edition of the exercise
was conducted in January 2015.
ii. The exercise will be conducted in phased manner both in harbour and at sea to undertake tasks
of war-fighting and combat operations. The exercise will strengthen the inter-operability and joint
operations of the Indian Navy in a complex environment.
iii. The month long exercise will see the participation of ships and aircraft of both the Western and
Eastern Naval Commands and assets from the Indian Air Force, Indian Army and the Indian Coast
Guard exercising together.

INS Vikramaditya Becomes India’s First Warship to Have ATM Onboard

i. INS Vikramaditya, India’s biggest aircraft carrier ship has become the country’s first warship
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to have an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) onboard the vessel.

ii. The ATM has been installed by the State Bank of India (SBI) and will become operational
from January 21, 2017. It will be operated through satellite link.

China Commissions its 31st Stealth Warship

i. In a move to rapidly expand its naval fleet, China’s People’s Liberation Army
Navy commissioned its 31st stealth warship on January 22, 2017.
ii. With the commissioning of the 31st Type—056 class corvette warship, CNS Ezhou, China has
become the world’s largest fleet of modern corvettes.
iii. The CNS Ezhou with a hull number of 513 was delivered to the East Sea Fleet in a naval
base in East China’s Fujian province on January 18, 2017. It is 89 meters long and 11 m
wide and has a full displacement of 1,254 metric tons.

Guided Pinaka test fired successfully again

i. The Guided Pinaka was successfully test fired from the Launch Complex-III, ITR,
Chandipur for a further enhanced range.
ii. The Pinaka Rocket Mark-II, equipped with Navigation, guidance and control kit, was
transformed into a guided Pinaka.
iii. The conversion has facilitated to enhance the range and improve the accuracy of Pinaka.

Pakistan Successfully Conducts First Flight Test of N- Capable Ababeel Missile

i. Pakistan successfully conducted the first test flight of the surface-to-surface ballistic missile
(SSM), ‘Ababeel’ on January 24, 2017.
ii. The radar-evading Ababeel has the capablility of carrying a nuclear warhead up to 2,200 kms
and deliver multiple warheads using Multiple Independent Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology.

Whatsapp helpline Luanched by Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat launches to Address
grievances of Army personnel
i. The Chief of Army staff Gen Bipin Rawat launched a Whatsapp helpline number on January
27, 2017 to receive grievances of army personnel.
ii. Several soldiers posted their grievances on social media about the food that was being served
to them and the conditions that they were put in as a result the army chief took the decision of
launching the watsapp service.
iii. The Whatsapp number where soldiers can post their complaints is +91 9643300008. The
number will be shared with all soldiers and the number will remain at Rawat’s office.

Indian Navy Issues RFI to procure 57 Carrier-Borne Fighter Jets

i. According to IHS Jane’s Defense Weekly, the Indian Navy has officially issued a Request for
Information (RFI) on January 17, 2017 to procure new carrier-based multirole warplane.
ii. The Navy intends to procure 57 naval fighter aircraft from a foreign supplier for its rapidly
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growing fleet of aircraft carriers. The government also wants to manufacture these planes in India
under Indian Prime Minister’s Modi’s Make in India initiative and tender has asked the original
equipment manufacturers to respond to it.
iii. Responses are due by May 24, 2017. Delivery of the first aircraft is expected to begin three
years following the inking of a contract and completed withinthree additional years.

India Successfully Test Fires Agni IV Ballistic Missile off Odisha Coast
India successfully conducted the test firing of the nuclear-capable strategic ballistic missile, Agni
IV from the Abdul Kalam Island, Balasore, off the Odisha coast on January 2, 2017 at about
11.50 a.m.
i. Agni IV is a two-stage solid-propelled, surface-to-surface ballistic missile which is
designed to carry a payload of 1-tonne up to a distance of 4,000 km.
ii. Designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) the
missile is 20 meters in length and weighs 17 tonnes.

Pakistan Successfully Test-Fires Submarine-Launched Nuclear-Capable Missile’

i. Pakistan successfully test-fired its first Submarine-Launched Cruise Missile
(SLCM), Babur-3, on January 9, 2017 from Indian Ocean.
ii. The missile Babur-3 which was fired from an underwater, mobile platform, hit the target with
precise accuracy. It is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead up to 450km
iii. Babur-3 is a sea-based variant of Ground Launched Cruise Missile (GLCM) Babur-2, which was
successfully tested earlier in December 2016.

Indian Army conducted trials of Indigenous Artillery Gun System Dhanush in the
Himalayas
i. The Indian Army is successfully conducted the user-validation trials of indigenous artillery
gun Dhanush in the Himalayas so that they are ready to be inducted into the Army.
ii. The exercise is being conducted under the aegis of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps and
the Leh-based 14 Corps. The 15 Corps is tasked to face Pakistan while the 14 Corps is tasked to
face Pakistan as well as China.

Ministry of Defence to Set up Rs 1500 cr Defence Unit in Madhya Pradesh

i. The Union Minister for Panchayati Raj and Rural Development, Narendra Singh Tomar
announced on January 31, 2017 that the Ministry of Defence is set to open its Defence
Unit in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh.

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ii. The unit would be set up in Kailaras and Sabalgarh tehsil areas and span over 969.735
hectare of land at a cost of Rs. 1500 crore.

Reliance Defence Signs Contract with Ministry of Defence to Construct 14 Fast patrol
Vessels for Indian Coast Guard
i. Reliance Defence and Engineering Ltd (RDEL), a wholly owned arm of Reliance
Infrastructure Ltd (RInfra), has signed a contract worth Rs. 916 crore with the Ministry of
Defence on January 30, 2017 to design and construct 14 Fast Patrol Vessels for the Indian
Coast Guard.
ii. The medium range, high speed vessels would be deployed for patrolling within the exclusive
economic zone, costal surveillance, anti-smuggling, anti-piracy, search and rescue operations. It
will also provide support as front-line warships during emergencies.
iii. RDEL is the first private sector shipyard which has been awarded a contract of designing and
building such ships for Indian Armed Force

Defence News – February

China tests missile DF-5C with 10 nuclear warheads
i. China has tested successfully a new version of a missile Dongfeng-5C missile which can carry
up to 10 nuclear warheads from the Taiyuan Space Launch Centre in Shanxi province, and flew
to a desert in western China
ii. The flight test of the DF-5C missile was carried out in January 2017 using 10 multiple
independently targetable reentry vehicles, or MIRVs.Earlier versions of the DF-5 have either a
single warhead or from six to eight MIRVs.
iii. It is an intercontinental ballistic missile that first went into service in the early 1980’s.

Integrated Underwater Harbour Defence & Surveillance System Launched in Mumbai

i. Vice Admiral GirishLuthra, Flag Officer Commanding- in-Chief, Western Naval Command
inaugurated the Integrated Underwater Harbour Defence and Surveillance System (IUHDSS) on
February 3, 2017 in Mumbai.
ii. The system has been developed to strengthen Harbour Defence and Security at Mumbai. It
will enhance the security of the valuable assets against surface and underwater threat.
iii. UUHDSS has been designed and developed by Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) ELTA. It
consists of integrated radars, electro-optic cameras and sonars.

Multinational Naval Drill Aman-17 Begins in Karachi

i. The five days multinational Aman-17 naval exercise kicked off in Karachi on February 10,
2017 where 37 countries took part.
ii. The aim of this multi-national exercise is to display united resolve of the countries
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against terrorism and crimes in maritime domain. The exercise will also help in enhancing
Pakistan Navy’s interoperability with regional and extra-regional navies.
iii. Aman-17 was inaugurated by Commander of the Pakistani naval fleet Vice Admiral
ArifullahHussaini.
iv .Out of 37 countries participating in ‘Aman 17’, 9 countries are participating with naval assets
including Australia, China, Indonesia, Turkey, Sri Lanka, UK, USA, Japan and Russia.
v. The Aman-17 is the fifth such exercise hosted by Pakistan every alternate year since 2007.

2017 Cobra Gold Exercise Begins in Thailand

i. The 2017 Cobra Gold Military Exercise kicked off at the Sattahip Royal Thai Marine Corps
Base in Chonburi Province, Thailand on February 14, 2017.
ii .Cobra Gold 2017 is the 36th edition of the multinational drill and is co-organized by United
States and Thailand. It will expand regional cooperation and collaboration for disaster relief.
iii .The ten day exercise would continue till February 24, 2017 and the closing ceremony of the
event will take place in Phu Lamyai Training area in Nakhon Ratchasima Province.
iv. As many as 30 nations are participating in the drill including China, India, Singapore, South
Korea and Malaysia, who are either involved in or are observing the exercises.

India Successfully Test-Fires Home Grown Interceptor Missile in Odisha coast

i. India successfully test-fired its Advanced Air Defence (AAD) interceptor missile from
launching complex-IV of Dhamara Abdul Kalam defence base off Odisha coast on February 11,
2017 under its Ballistic Missile Defence Programme
ii. The successful testing leads India towards achieving a robust two layered Ballistic Missile
Defence (BMD) system. It will strengthen India’s position in the exclusive club of US, Russia
and Israel.
iii. The Advanced Air Defence interceptor named as Ashwin has the capability to destroy the
incoming enemy missile in the endo-atmospheric region at a low altitude of less than 30
kilometres.
iv. The AAD interceptor is a 7.5-metre-long single stage solid rocket propelled guided missile
equipped with a navigation system and a high tech computer and electro-mechanical activator
totally under command by the data uplinked from the ground-based radar.

INS Sarvekshak Becomes India’s First Ship to be Installed with Solar Power System
i. Indian Navy’s survey class vessel INS Sarvekshak has become the first ship in India to be
fitted with solar power system on board.
ii .The ship has been equipped with 18 sheets of solar panel of 300 Watt which is capable of
generating 5.4 kW power.
iii .As per the Navy, if the system is used even for 25 days in one year, it can repay its costs in

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less than 10 years. The estimated profit generated by the system during the ship service life of 25
years is Rs. 2.7 crore.

Sailboat INSV Tarini Inducted into Indian Navy on 18 February 2017

The second ocean going sailboat of Indian Navy “Tarini” was successfully inducted by the Navy
on February 18, 2017 at a ceremony held at the INS Mandovi Boat Pool in presence of Admiral
Sunil Lanba, Chief of Naval Staff.

• It is the second sailboat after INS Mhadei of Indian Navy. INSV Tarini had been
conceptualized to promote ocean sailing activities and to encourage women
empowerment.
• Tarini provides a platform for the first Indian circumnavigation of the globe by all
women team of the Indian Navy.
• INSV Tarini has been built by M/s Aquarius Shipyard Pvt Ltd at Divar, Goa.The trials of
the newly built INSV Tarini were successfully completed on 30 January 2017.
• The Defence Minister, Shri Manohar Parrikar laid the keel of the vessel on 27 March
2016 at the Aquarius Shipyard.

Fast Patrol Vessel of Indian Coast Guard Ship ICGS AYUSH Commissioned at Kochi
i. Fast Patrol Vessel ICGS AYUSH built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) was commissioned
at the Naval Base in Kochi on February 18, 2017 by the AVSM Flag Officer Commanding-in-
Chief of Southern Naval Command, Vice-Admiral A R Karve.
ii. The ICGS AYUSH is intended to help in anti-smuggling and search and rescue
operations to secure the Indian waters by patrolling within the Exclusive Economic Zone and also
help in fisheries protection.
iii. With this, the CSL Shipyard has completed construction of 20 Fast Patrol Vessel series for
the Coast Guard.

Pakistan Army Launches Military Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad to Eliminate Terrorism

i. A nationwide military operation ‘Radd-ul-Fasaad’ was launched by Pakistan Army on
February 22, 2017 to eliminate terrorists and ensure security of Pakistan’s borders.
ii. As per the Director-General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) wing of the Pakistan
Army, the operation aims to eliminate threat of terrorism, consolidate gains of operations
made so far and ensure strengthened security of Pakistan’s borders.
iii. To eliminate the menace of terrorism from the country, the Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Navy,
Civil Armed Forces as well as other security and law enforcement agencies will work actively to

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support the efforts of the Pakistan Army.

iv .Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad will include Broad Spectrum Security and counter-terrorism
operations by Rangers in Punjab, continuation of ongoing operations across the country and focus
on more effective border security management.
v .The operation will also include a countrywide de-weaponisation and explosive control
programme.

Defence News – March

India Successfully Test-Fires Indigenously Developed Supersonic Interceptor Missile
i. India successfully conducted the test-fire of its indigenously developed supersonic
interceptor Advanced Air Defence (AAD) missile, capable of destroying any incoming enemy
ballistic missile at low altitude.
ii. The missile was test-fired for the second time by DRDO in less than a month and is part of an
effort to put in place a multi-layer missile defence system. On February 11, 2017 also DRDO
successfully test-fired the missile.
iii .The testing of ADA missile was done against a target which was a Prithvi missile launched
from launch complex 3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur near Balasore in Odisha.
The target played the role of a hostile missile.
iv. Advanced Air Defence (AAD) missile was stationed at Abdul Kalam Island in the Bay of
Bengal. It received signals from radars about the incoming target missile. The interceptor was
launched and managed to destroy the incoming hostile missile in mid-air.

Navy successfully test-fires anti-ship missile from Kalvari submarine

i. The Indian navy successfully test- fired indigenously built Kalvari class submarine an anti-
ship missile for the first time, which reflects further bolstering India’s naval prowess.
ii. The weapon was fired from the first vessel in the series of six Scorpene-class
submarines and it successfully hit a surface target during the trial in the Arabian Sea.
iii. The Mazagon Dock Limited built under Project 75 , Kalvari which is the first in a series of
Scorpene class submarines being built in India.
iv. Besides Indian Navy is among a select few nations in the world to have anti-ship missile firing
capability from submarines.

DRDO Hands Over 3 of its Developed Products to Indian Army

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) handed over three defence
products for induction into the Indian Army in a formal ceremony on March 2, 2017 in New
Delhi.

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The products developed in DRDO’s laboratory include

1. Weapon Locating Radar (WLR) SWATHI
2. NBC Recce Vehicle
3. NBC Drugs
About WLR SWATHI
Weapon Locating Radar (WLR) “SWATHI” has been developed by Electronics & Radar
Development Establishment (LRDE) of DRDO.
• The weapon includes 81mm or higher calibre mortars, 105mm or higher calibre shells and
120mm or higher calibre free flying rockets.
About NBC Recce Vehicle Mk-I
The NBC Recce Vehicle “Mk-I” is developed by Vehicles Research & Development Establishment
(VRDE) in association with Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur.
• NBC RV Mk-I has been developed for carrying out post event recce of Nuclear, Biological
and Chemical Contaminated areas.
NBC Drugs
The DRDO’s Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS) have developed the NBC
drugs which are antidotes for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) emergencies.

Indian Navy’s Oldest Warship INS Viraat, Decommissions on March 6 After 30-Year
Service
Indian Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier, INS Viraat was decommissioned on March 6, 2017 at a
solemn ceremony in Mumbai after nearly 30 years of service for Indian Navy.
About INS Viraat
i. The ship which is famously known as the ‘Grand Old Lady’, was with the British Royal Navy
since 1959 before the Indian government bought it for Rs 6.5 crore in 1987.
ii. The aircraft carrier which is listed in Guinness Record for the oldest carrier in service was
inducted into the Indian Navy on May 12, 1987.

Vice Admiral Girish Luthra Commissions INS Tillanchang at Karwar

INS Tillanchang, a Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC) was commissioned into the Indian
Navy by Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval
Command, at Karwar, Karnataka on March 9, 2017.
♦ INS Tillanchang is the third ship of four follow-on WJFAC built by the Garden
Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Kolkata.

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South Korea and United States Begin Annual Military Drill Foal Eagle
i. United States and South Korean troops started their large-scale annual military drill
named Foal Eagle on March 1, 2017.
ii. The aim of the military exercise is to test their defense readiness against the threat from North
Korea.
iii. North Korea conducted its first ballistic missile test of 2017 in February and views the Foal
Eagle Exercise 2017 as preparation for war against it.

India to train Myanmar Navy

i. Indian Navy will set up meteorological facilities and impart training for the Myanmar Navy,
which will help offset increasing Chinese presence in its neighbourhood.
ii. This development comes days after a recent visit of a Myanmar delegation to Kochi. This fits
into India’s overall effort to boost strategic cooperation under the ‘Act East’ policy.

Indo-Nepal joint Military exercise ‘Surya Kiran-Xi’ begins in Uttarakhand

i. The two-week long India-Nepal joint military exercise ‘Surya Kiran-Xi‘ begins in
Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand on March 7, 2017
ii. Aim: To train both the troops in the area of various counter insurgency operations over a
prolonged period.

Joint Military Exercise AL NAGAH-II Begins Between India-Oman in Himachal Pradesh

i. A 14 days long joint military training exercise AL NAGAH-II, of the Indian Army and the
Royal Army of Oman kicked off on March 6, 2017 at Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh.
ii. This is the second edition of the joint military exercise between the two countries. The first
edition was held at Muscat, Oman in January 2015.

India Successfully Conducts Maiden Tests of Extended Version of BrahMos Supersonic

Cruise Missile
i. India successfully test-fired an extended range version of supersonic cruise
missile BrahMos from a test range off the Odisha coast on March 11, 2017.
ii. The land attack version of the cruise missile was test fired from a mobile launcher from the
Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur near Balasore by Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO).
iii. The strike range of the missile has been enhanced from 290 km to 450 km and is capable of
carrying a warhead of 300 kg.

Pakistan successfully test-fires land based anti-ship missile

i. Pakistan Navy has successfully test-fired ground-to-sea missile from the coastal region on

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March 16, 2017.

ii. The trial was witnessed by Vice Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Khan Hisham Bin Siddique.
iii. The missile is equipped with modern technology avionics, secured a hit on a target placed at
sea with a high degree of accuracy .

Three New Naval System To Indian Navy By DRDO

Recently DRDO (DEFECNCE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTAL ORGANISATION), has provided
the INDIAN NAVY with three new naval systems to enhance its operation.This was handed over
by our Defence minister in-charge Mr. Arun Jaitely and accepted by our Chief of Naval staff
Mr. Sunil Lanba

• About Rs 2.56 lakh crore has been allotted for these system and Rs 1 lakh crore has
been used in past two years.
• In addition to that, IP based secured phone and gallium nitride technology has
also been released
These naval system include
1. USHUS –II SUBMARINE SONOR
2. DIRECTING GEAR FOR HULL-MOUNTED SONAR ARRAY
3. INTERNAL NAVIGATION SYSTEM FOR SHIP APPLICATION

Indian Navy Conducts Successful Test-Firing of Surface-to-Air Missile from INS

Vikramaditya
i. The Indian Navy successfully conducted the maiden trial firing of newly installed surface-to-
air Barak missile system from its aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya from 21 to 23 March in
the Arabian Sea.
ii. During the testing, the missile was fires against a live low flying high speed target, which
was successfully destroyed by the Barak missile.

INLCU L51 commissioned into Indian Navy at Port Blair

On 28th March 2017, INLCU L51, first of the eight ships of the LCU MK IV Class was commissioned
into the Indian Navy by Vice Admiral Bimal Verma, AVSM, Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and
Nicobar Command at Port Blair.

• INLCU L51 has been built by Kolkata-based M/s Garden Reach Ship Builders & Engineers Ltd.
(GRSE) Commissioning of this ship holds special significance as it has been designed and
constructed indigenously.
• It is the latest testimony to Modi Govt.’s commitment to ‘Make in India’ campaign.

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• Dignitaries who attended commissioning ceremony included Vice Admiral Dilip Deshpande,
Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition, Rear Admiral VK Saxena (Retd.), Chairman
and Managing Director of GRSE along with other senior Indian naval officers.
Specifications of LCU 51:
1. Displacement (Weight): 900 tons
2. Length: 62.8 m
3. Breadth: 11 m
4. Engines: 02 MTU diesel engines of 1840 Kw rating which can sustain speeds up to 15
knots
5. Armament: Two 30 mm CRN -91 guns in addition to 12.7 mm Heavy Machine Guns
along with 7.62 mm Medium Machine Guns
6. Other Hi-tech Specification: State-of-the art Electronic Warfare suite for early spotting of
adversaries. Integrated Platform Management System and Integrated Bridge System.

De-Induction Of Indian Navy’s TU142M Aircraft and Induction of Boeing P8I Into INAS
312
After 29 illustrious years of service, TU142M aircraft has been de-inducted from the Indian
Navy. A special farewell ceremony was organised on 29th March 2017, at INS Rajali, the premiere
Naval Air Station located in Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu.
• Dignitaries who attended the farewell ceremony included Admiral Sunil Lanba, PVSM, AVSM,
ADC Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral HCS Bisht, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief,
Eastern Naval Command, senior Navy officials, Bureaucrats as well as serving and retired
men who have been associated with the operations of TU142M.
About TU142M:
TU142M (Tupolev – 142M) is a Russian made aircraft.In the year 1988, it was inducted in Indian
Navy at INS Hansa based in Goa.
• In the year 1988, it was inducted into INAS 312 at INS Hansa based in Goa. It is to be
noted that INAS 312, which was commissioned in year 1976 at INS Hansa, initially had
five Lockheed L1049G Super Constellation Aircraft. These L1049G Aircraft
were eventually de-inducted from the squadron in the year 1983.
• TU142M has been one of the most feared LRMR platforms and is often dubbed as the
‘Flying Destroyer’.
Boeing P-8I, the successor of TU142M:
TU142M is being replaced by a fleet of P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft.P-8I has been
developed by Boeing Company and is popularly referred to as Boeing P-8 Poseidon by the United
States Navy.

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Defence News – April

India Mongolia Military Exercise kicks off in Mizoram
India- Mongolia military exercise training has started at Vairengte in Mizoram. Mangolian
Army is represented by 9 officers and 36 soldiers of the elite 084 Special Forces Task Battalion
while Indian contingent comprises 3 officers 4 Junior Commissioned officers and 39 soldiers of
Jammu and Kashmir Rifles.
i. It is a 14 day exercise which continues till 18th of April
ii. Christened “Exercise Nomadic Elephant- XII”aimed at training troops in operations like
counter-terrorism and counter insurgency.

US conducts successful field test of new B61-12 nuclear bomb

The National Nuclear security Administration (NNSA) and US Air force have conducted a test of a
modification of the B61 atomic bomb.
B61-12 bomb was tested without a nuclear warhead.
The Bomb was dropped from the F-16 fighter bomber on the Nellis test site, Nevada.
ii. It was conducted to extend the B61’s operational life by upgrading its nuclear and non- nuclear
components and to improve the reliability of its security systems.
iii. It was the first test of the B61-12 with the usage of the F-16.

Coast Guard decommissions ICGS Varad after 27 years

On April 28, 2017, Indian Coast Guard ship, ICGS Varad, the eight in the Vikram-class
offshore patrol vessel, was decommissioned at Chennai Port. ICGS Varad was in service
for 27 years.
i. ICGS Varad was built by Goa Shipyard Ltd. Its Construction work was launched on September
2, 1989.
ii. It was formally commissioned on July 19, 1990 by the then Governor of Goa, Khurshid
Alam Khan.

Nepal and China to Conduct Sagarmatha Friendship

First ever Joint military exercise begin between Nepal and China named Sagarmatha
Frienship 2017 in Kathmandu
i. It will be conducted from 17th April to 23rd 2017. The exercise will be taking place at
the Maharajgunj based training school.
ii. It’s mainly focus on combining terror activities and disaster management.

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Joint Indian-French naval exercise 'Varuna' begins

The Indian Navy began a joint maritime exercise Varuna with the French Navy at
the Mediterranean Sea.
i. The exercise was begun on 24th April 2017 and will be ended on 30th April 2017.
ii. It aims at deepening combat coordination between the two navies.
iii. The ships are part of the Indian Navy's overseas deployment to the Mediterranean Seaand
West Coast of Africa.
iv. Guided missile destroyer INS Mumbai, stealth frigate INS Trishul and fleet tanker INS Aditya
are taking part in the Varuna exercise.

INS Chennai dedicated, Chennai to become hub of Naval activities

INS Chennai a P 15A Guided Missile Destroyer of Indian Navy was dedicated to the city of
Chennai on April 17, 2017.The ship has a complement of about 45 officers and 395 personnel.
i. The ship is under the command of Captain CR Praveen Nair.
ii. Ceremony includes Shri Edappadi K Palaniswami, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Dr D
Karthikeyan IAS, Commissioner of Chennai and Vice Admiral HCS Bisht.

Navy successfully tests land-attack BrahMos supersonic missile

The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile has successfully test fired. It is a land-attack version with
an extended range increased from 290 km to 450 km.
i. The missile was test fired from a Mobile Autonomous Launcher (MAL) from the Integrated Test
Range (ITR) at
ii. It is two-stage missile, the first one being solid and the second one ramjet liquid propellant.
iii. It is capable of carrying a warhead of 300 kilogram, both conventional and nuclear.
iv. It has top supersonic speed of Mach 2.It is a joint venture of India and Russia.
INS Darshak conducting joint survey of Sri Lankan bay
INS Darshak, the Indian Navy's hydrographic survey ship is on a two-month deployment in
the Sri Lankan waters since March 3, 2017.
i. Along with Sri Lankan Navy, it is jointly undertaking a hydrographic survey of Weligama
Bay which was last studied in 1901. Weligama Bay is located in Southern Province of Sri Lanka,
about 130 km south-east of the capital city Colombo.
ii. INS Darshak was commissioned on April 28, 2001 at Visakhapatnam under Eastern Naval
Command of Indian Navy.

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IAF Inducts Su-30 MKI into Frontline 221 Squadron

Indian Air Force introduced its frontline Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft into the 221 Squadron,
‘Valiants’, at its base in Punjab to enhancing the IAF’s capabilities.
i. The induction of Sukhoi fighter jets at a frontline base close to the India-Pakistan border will act
as a force-multiplier for the defence forces.
ii. Su-30 MKI is a state-of-the-art all-weather multi-role fighter jet.
iii. It is capable of undertaking varied air combat and ground attack missions.

Joint operational doctrine for army, navy, air force unveiled

A "joint doctrine" envisaging deeper operational synergies among the army, navy and air force
was unveiled on April 25, 2017. The three defence services will now follow a unified approach to
deal with all possible security challenges including conventional and proxy wars.

• Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba, the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC)
released the document in presence of Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat and IAF Chief B S
Dhanoa. This document is the second edition. First edition was released eight years ago.
Key Aspects of ‘Joint Doctrine”:
• Transnational threats, "proxy war" in Jammu and Kashmir and left-wing extremism in
various parts of the countryhave been listed as primary security threats for India.
• "Surgical Strikes" has been considered as an important option to counter terrorism.
• Joint training of personnel, unified command and control structure and tri-service
approach for modernisation of the three forces has been proposed.
• A broad framework of concepts and principles will be established for joint planning and
conduct of operations across all the domains viz. land, air, sea, space and cyber-space.
• Deterrent capabilities will be enhanced to safeguard India’s strategic interests along the
Northern, Western and Eastern borders including the Line of Control (LoC) and Line
of Actual Control (LAC).
• Steps initiated for establishment of the 'Defence Cyber Agency', 'Defence Space
Agency' and 'Special Operations Division' have also been mentioned in the doctrine.
• During war, doctrine has directed land, air and naval commandersto jointly formulate
orchestrate and implement war plans.

India successfully test-fires Agni-III ballistic missile

India has successfully test-fired 3000 kilometre range Agni-III ballistic missile on 27
April 2017. It has launched from Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast.
i. The test was carried by the Strategic Forces Command with logistics support from Defence
Research Development Organisation (DRDO).
ii. The test was aimed at re-establishing the operational effectiveness of the weapon system..

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iv. This Surface-to-Surface nuclear capable intermediate-range ballistic missile can hit targets in
the range of around 3000 km.
v. It can carry a warhead of 1.5 tonne which is protected by carbon all composite heat shield.

Defence News – May

INS Ganga placed in non-operational category
Indian Navy frigate INS Ganga is placed in non-operational category from 28th May 2017,
followed by decommissioning, after 32 years of service.
i. INS Ganga is a Godavari-class guided-missile frigate of the Indian Navy and was built in
Mumbai by Mazagon Dock Limited.INS Ganga was commissioned on December 30, 1985.
ii. Presently in her 24th Commission, is commanded by Captain NP Pradeep.

THAAD missile defense system now operational in South Korea

Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system is now operational
in South Korea. The system has attained initial intercept capability which will be augmented by
end of 2017 on arrival of new components.
About THAAD Missile Defense System in South Korea:
i. THAAD is United States Army anti-ballistic missile system designed to shoot down incoming
ballistic missiles.
ii. South Korean military has sought US army’s help in deploying THAAD to counter missile threats
from North Korea.

Indian Army successfully test-fires advanced Block-III version of Brahmos cruise

missile
On May 2, 2017, Indian Army successfully test-fired Block III version (an advanced version) of
the Brahmos land-attack cruise missile in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
i. In the test, Block-III version successfully hit the land-based target with desired precision in a
“top attack configuration”. This test fire has matched all the parameter of the
canonical textbook, involving high level and complex manoeuvring by the missile.
ii. Earlier, in April 2017, the Indian Navy had successfully conducted its first test-firing of the
sea-to-land attack version of its advanced supersonic cruise missile Brahmos.

India test-fires Agni-II ballistic Missile from Wheeler Island, off Odisha coast
India’s nuclear-capable, surface-to-surface Agni-II ballistic missile was test-fired from the
Wheeler Island Odisha coast on May 4, 2017
i. Agni-II ballistic missile has a strike range of 2000 kilometers.The test was aimed at re-

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establishing the operational effectiveness of the weapon system.

ii. Agni missile series being developed by DRDO as a deterrent against nuclear armed neighbours.

CASO reintroduced as part of counter-terror ops in Kashmir

The Army has decided to re-introduce Cordon and Search Operations (CASO) as a "permanent
feature" of its campaign against militants.
i. CASO will be carried out in a major way in militancy-hit areas of Kulgam, Pulwama, Tral,
Budgam and Shopian in south Kashmir.
ii. After a gap of 15 years CASO will be a permanent feature as a part of counter-terror
operations.
iii. The armed forces had carried out a major operation involving 4,000 troops in south Kashmir
last week to flush out militants, indicating a change in strategy.

Indian Navy Decommissions Minesweepers - INS Karwar and INS Kakinada

On May 9, 2017, two minesweepers of Indian Navy - INS Karwar and INS Kakinada, were
decommissioned at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai in presence of Indian Navy Chief Sunil
Lanba.

Bilateral exercise between Indian Republic of Singapore Navy Simbex 17 commences

The 24th bilateral exercise between Indian Navy and Republic of Singapore Navy has
commenced in South China Sea.
Key Highlights:
i. SIMBEX means “Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercises“.
ii. The exercise will be held from May 18, 2017 to May 24, 2017.
iii. The exercise would be conducted into two phases-the Harbour Phase and the Sea Phase.

29th India- Indonesia Co-Ordinated Patrol (Corpat) Commences

The 29th series of India–Indonesia CORPAT is scheduled from 9th to 25thMay 17.
i. The opening ceremony being conducted from 09 -12 May 17 at Port Blair.It will be conducted
under the aegis of Andaman and Nicobar Command.
ii. The Coordinated Patrol serves to enhance mutual understanding and inter–operability between
the two navies.
iv. The closing ceremony of the CORPAT is scheduled at Belawan, Indonesia from 22 – 25 May 17.

Philippines, US begin smaller-scale joint military exercises

Philippine and U.S. troops begin smaller scale joint military exercise. It major focus will be
on disaster response, humanitarian assistance and counter terrorism.

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i. “Balikatan" or "Shoulder-to-Shoulder" 12 day military exercises were led by Defense

Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim.
ii. This year's exercises will be based on a scenario of troops responding to a super typhoon
hitting the Philippines.

"Jordan, US launch major military exercises “ Eager Lion”

The 7,400 troops from 20 nations are taking part in Eager Lion military drills. It is the largest
and most complex until now.
i. Jordan and the United States will be going to start the Eager Lion, an annual military exercise.
ii. Eager Lion exercise is the seventh exercise and the largest and most complex.
iii. The exercise would include border security, cyber-defence, and "command and control"
exercises to strengthen coordination in response to threats including "terrorism".

India's INS Tarkash marks 'UK India Year of Culture'

Tarkash had arrived at its final docking point in Britain on the river Thames at West India
Docks in Londons Canary Wharf to mark UK India Year of Culture.
i. It helps in promoting cooperation and shared exchanges on naval operations, including disaster
management, anti-terrorism and anti-piracy.
ii. Tarkash arrived on UK shores at Plymouth harbour on 2nd May to participate in the annual
bilateral maritime exercise Konkan-17.

Joint Hadr Exercise commences at Naval Station Karwar

Joint HADR Exercise commences at Naval Station Karwar.The Annual Joint Humanitarian
Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise began on 18 May 2017.
i. The exercise is being conducted by Indian Navy’s Western Naval Command.
ii. It is named as 'Karavali Karunya'.
iii. It involves both professional exchange and actual disaster response mechanisms which is set
on a Tsunami disaster scenario.

Indian Army gets its first modern artillery gun almost 30 years after Bofors
Indian army has received two M777 Ultra Lightweight Howitzer artillery guns from BAE
Systems, US. These two guns have been procured under Indian Government’s deal with US
Government for total 145 M777 guns.
i. The deal for M777 guns was initiated US Govt. in 2010.Indian Govt. announced the deal to buy
145 M777 guns in June 2016
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Defence News – June

Prithvi-II missile successfully test-fired from Odisha
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on June 2nd successfully
test-fired the indigenously-developed nuclear-capable ballistic Prithvi-II missile in Odisha.
i. The trial of the surface-to-surface missile, which has a strike range of 350 km, was carried
out from a mobile launcher from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at
Chandipur near Balasore in Odisha.
ii. In salvo mode, two Prithvi-II missiles were successfully test fired on November 21, 2016. The
nine-metre-tall, single-stage liquid-fuelled Prithvi-II is the first missile to have been developed by
the DRDO under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.

India successfully test-fires 1st all weather tracked-chassis QR-SAM

India has successfully test-fired its first all-weather tracked-chassis Quick Reaction Surface-to-
Air Missile (QR-SAM) on 4th of June.
i. The test was carried out for validating various parameters of the sophisticated weapon system
to strengthen its air defence system.
ii. The missile was launched from a mobile launcher in the Integrated Test Range
(ITR) off Odisha coast at Chandipur at around 12:39 p.m. local time.
iii. The missile system has the potential to engage multiple targets within a range
of approximately 30 km, with the configuration of two vehicles for area air defence.

Indian Warships reach Australia to take part in Bilateral Maritime Exercise AUSINDEX-
17
Three Indian warships reached to Australia to participate in a week-long naval exercise off the
Western Australian coast.
i. Exercise Australia India (AUSINDEX) is a regular bilateral maritime exercise which aimed at
developing a deeper understanding and cooperation between the two navies.
ii. AUSINDEX 17 was a concrete example of India and Australia working more closely together to
increase maritime security.

DRDO successfully test fires anti-tank guided missile 'Nag' in desert ranges of
Rajasthan
The Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO) has successfully test fired anti-
tank missile 'Nag' in a desert in the western sector of Rajasthan.
i. According to the defence sources the missile successfully has destroyed the target in today's
mission.
ii. The tests, which were witnessed by scientists from the DRDO, Defence Lab, Jodhpur, senior
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officials from armed forces among others has concluded on 14th of June.
iii. The "fire and forget" third generation anti-tank guided missile 'Nag' is equipped with the
highly advanced Imaging Infrared Radar (IRR) seeker with integrated avionics, technology which
is possessed by very few nations

Defence News – July

Indo-Thai joint military exercise begins in Himachal Pradesh

There is a 15-day long joint military training exercise between the Indian and Thai army has
begun from 3rd July in Himachal Pradesh.
i. The main aim is to build and promote bilateral Army-to-Army relations and enhance
inter-operability between the two armies.
ii. The armies of India and Thailand are conducting the yearly joint training exercise named Ex
Maitree 2017 from July 3 to July 17 at Bakloh in Himachal Pradesh.

Trilateral Malabar exercise begins in chennai

The Trilateral Malabar exercise begins in Chennai on 7th July 2017. The U.S., Indian
and Japanese maritime forces will be participating in the Malabar Naval Exercise 2017
i. Naval ships, aircraft and personnel from India, Japan and the United States will
participate in exercise Malabar 2017.
ii. Malabar naval exercise 2017 will continue till 17th July and will address the variety of
shared threats to maritime security in the Indo-Asia Pacific.
iii. The exercise will feature both ashore and at-sea training.

NATO military drills in Eastern Europe begin in Bulgaria

NATO military exercises in Eastern Europe have begun in Bulgaria. It involves 25,000
military personnel from more than 20 allied and partner countries.
i .The drills aim to increase the interoperability of participating countries and display
resolve and readiness to act in support of security and stability in the Black Sea region.
ii. The opening ceremony was held 12th July at the Novo Selo military camp in southern
Bulgaria.
iii. The Saber Guardian 17 exercises are being led by U.S. Army Europe and run until 20th
July.

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China-Russia naval exercise begins in Baltic Sea

China and Russia have started their large-scale naval exercise “Joint Sea 2017” in the Baltic
Sea. It has been announced on 23rd of July 2017.
i. The exercises will involve jets, helicopters and vessels.
ii. The Chinese Navy is represented by one of its most advanced missile destroyers, the Hefei, as
well as missile frigate Yuncheng and the Luomahu supply ship.

Australia and US test-fires multimillion hypersonic missile - HIFiRE

The US and Australia have jointly test-fired a hypersonic missile capable of moving at a
speed eight times faster than sound as part of a $54-million research project. The test was
part of a project called the Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation
Program (HIFiRE) involving the US and Australian militaries, Queensland University, Australia’s
Defence Science and Technology Group and private companies, including Boeing and BAE
Systems.
i. The hypersonic missile is capable of travelling at Mach 8 - eight times faster than the
speed of sound, from between 3,836mph (6,200kmh) to almost 8,000mph (13,000kmh).
ii. The very first launch of a HIFiRE flight vehicle, which simply validated the basic
design, occurred in May 2009.

US Navy tests world’s first Laser Weapons System LaWS

U.S. Navy recently tested the world’s first-ever active Laser Weapons System (LaWS). It
is $40 million system which is currently deployed on board the USS Ponce amphibious
transport ship in the Persian Gulf.
About Laser Weapons System LaWS:
The system has special materials that release photons at the speed of light that silently hits
a target, burning it to a temperature of thousands of degrees.
• Each strike travels 50,000 times the speed of an incoming intercontinental
ballistic missile(ICBM).
• LaWS has high accuracy rate. The system can target a single component of an enemy
target, such as a boat’s engine, and make it catch fire so that the entire vessel does not
have to be destroyed and the Navy can avoid collateral damage.
• Its cost per use is approximately $1 per shot. The system requires electrical
power and a three-man team to operate.

GRSE hands over 2nd LCU Mark IV vessel to Indian Navy

The second of the eight Mark IV LCU vessels was formally handed over to the Indian Navy
at a ceremony in Kolkata on 19th of July 2017. It is built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and
Engineers Limited (GRSE), Kolkata.
i. The LCU Mark IV ship is designed for multipurpose amphibious operations.

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ii. It jointly carried out the Navy and Army to ensure maritime security of the Andamans and
Lakshadweep. The ship has 90% indigenous content.
iii. The L52 ship was handed over by Rear Admiral V K Saxena, IN (Retd) CMD, GRSE, to the
Commanding Officer of the ship Cdr Kaushik Chatterjee.

World's largest supercarrier USS Gerald R Ford commissioned in USA

On July 22, 2017, US Navy commissioned world's largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R
Ford into the fleet. The commissioning ceremony was held at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia in
presence of US President Donald Trump.
i. The ship is named after the 38th President of the United States Gerald Ford and has
been built by Newport News Ship Building Company.
ii. The keel for the US$12.8 billion USS Gerald R Ford was laid down in 2009.

Reliance Defence launches first two naval patrol vessels Shachi and Shruti
On July 25, 2017, Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited (subsidiary of Reliance
Infrastructure) announced the launch of its first two Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels
(NOPVs) – ‘Shachi’ and ‘Shruti’ - at their shipyard in Pipavav, Gujarat.
i. The two NOPVs -- 'Shachi' and 'Shruti' -- are the first warships to be launched by a private
sector shipyard in India.
ii. The five NOPVs are patrol ships armed with a 76 mm Super Rapid Gun Mount (SRGM)
system along with two 30 mm AK-630 guns, which provide medium range and short range
offensive and defensive capabilities.

Muntra - country's first unmanned tank, rolls out from the Chennai lab
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an unmanned,
remotely operated tank named ‘Muntra’ which has three variants – surveillance, mine
detection and reconnaissance in areas with nuclear and bio threats.
More Information pertaining to Muntra:
Muntra has been developed and tested for the Army by Combat Vehicles Research and
Development Establishment (CVRDE) in Avadi, Chennai.
• Indian paramilitary force has also expressed interest to use these unmanned tanks in
Naxal-hit areas. However it will require a few modifications.
• Variants: Muntra-S is India’s first tracked unmanned ground vehicle developed for
unmanned surveillance missions while Muntra-M is for detecting mines and Muntra-
N is for operation in areas where there is a nuclear radiation or bio weapon risk.
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• Specifications: The vehicle has surveillance radar, an integrated camera along

with laser range finder which can be used to spy on ground target 15km away – may
be a crawling men or heavy vehicles.
• The vehicle has been tested and validated at Mahajan field firing range in
Rajasthan under dusty desert condition.

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