Current Affairs January 2017 - Defence
News 1 - India successfully test-fired Agni-IV intercontinental ballistic missile
India successfully test-fired its nuclearcapable strategic ballistic missile Agni-IV from a test range off Odisha coast. It was flight tested from launch complex – 4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Dr. Abdul Kalam Island.
It was the 6th trial of the indigenously developed Agni-IV missile. Agni-IV is a surface-to-surface missile and has a range of up to 4,000 kms. It weighs 17 tonnes and is 20 meters long. It is equipped with state-ofthe-art Avionics, a 5th generation on-board computer and distributed architecture.
News 2 - Air Marshal Anil Khosla AVSM VM takes over as the AOC-in-C Eastern Air command, IAF
Air Marshal Anil Khosla AVSM VM took over as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Air Command from 01 Jan 2017.
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, he was commissioned in the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force in December 1979. He is a post graduate from Defence Services Staff College and holds two MPhil. degrees in military studies.
He has been awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Vayu Sena Medal and has been commended by the CAS.
News 3 - CSL delivers the 20th Fast Patrol Vessel to India Coast Guard
Cochin Shipyard Limited entered contract in October 2010 for delivering 20 FPVs. Thus, CSL finished its contract by delivering the 20th Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) to the Indian Coast Guard. This 20th FPV is called as ICGS AYUSH. ICGS Ayush will be operated from the Coast Guard Station at Krishnapatanam.
CSL has been delivering these vessels every 2 months since 2013. These FPVs have a total length of 50 meters and a beam of 7.6 meters. They are smaller than the previous versions. These FPVs act as a communicating link for fisheries.
News 4 - Khanderi, the second Scorpene class submarine, launched
Khanderi, the second Scorpene class submarine was launched from the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited in Mumbai. It has a superior stealth mode and the ability to launch a crippling attack with torpedoes as well as tube-launched anti-ship missiles whilst underwater or on surface. Khanderi is the name for Tiger Shark.
Khanderi is the second of the six submarines being built at MDL in collaboration with M/s DCNS of France, as part of Project 75 of the Indian Navy. The first one, Kalvari, is completing sea trials and will be commissioned shortly into the Indian Navy.
News 5 - BSF launched operation ‘Sard Hawa’ at Rajasthan border
To check the situations of infiltration due to the dense fog in the area, the Border Security Force (BSF) has launched operation 'Sard Hawa' at the western international border of Rajasthan. The operation was carried out daily till the 28th January 2017.
BSF Jawans will have the duty to patrol with advanced weapons in the police station areas near to the border. It is a part of strict vigilance considering dense fog on the international border and to motivate Jawans. Deployment of Jawans has also been increased at the border.
News 6 - The 4th joint Indo-Oman Air Exercise Eastern Bridge IV at Jamnagar
The fourth joint Indo-Oman Air Exercise Eastern Bridge IV was concluded at Air Force Station Jamnagar which commenced on 16 Jan 2017. This was the first time that RAFO F16s participated in an air exercise outside the Gulf Countries.
The Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) participated with five F-16 Block 50 Air Defence Fighters belonging to No. 18 Squadron based at Thumrait. IAF participated in the exercise with Su-30 MKI Air Dominance Fighters, MiG-29 Air Superiority Fighters, Jaguar Maritime Strike aircraft and MiG-27 aircraft.
News 7 - India's largest warship INS Vikramaditya is the first to have an ATM onboard
INS Vikramaditya, the largest warship and latest aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy, has a strength of over 1500 personnel. The ship has a new acquisition – an ATM machine installed onboard by the nation’s largest bank and banking network, the State Bank of India.
The facilities offered by the State Bank of India to the ship include cash withdrawals, generation of mini-statements, access to bank balance details and change of PIN numbers. Soon, this facility will be upgraded to a recycler machine with a cash deposit facility.
News 8 - Newly transformed Pinaka rockets test fired successfully
Since the previous version of the Pinaka Rocket was not a properly guided version, the newly transformed version of this rocket now comes with a better navigation system. It was successfully test fired from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur in Odisha. This latest version of the Pinaka rocket’s control kit is developed by the Research Centre, Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad.
The new Pinaka II will have a range of more than 70 kms. New radars, electro-optical systems and telemetry systems at the ITR can track and monitor the rocket all through its flight path.
News 9 - Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat launched Whatsapp helpline for grievances of the Army personnel
The Chief of Army Staff, General Bipin Rawat launched a Whatsapp helpline to receive grievances of the army personnel. The helpline number is 9643300008. The aggrieved armed personnel will be able to directly communicate with the Army Chief with the help of this helpline.
It comes in the backdrop of complaints being uploaded by some soldiers on the social media platform. Earlier, redressal of individual grievances by serving personnel was carried out through established mechanisms within the Army.
News 10 - Navy’s Theatre Level Exercise, TROPEX 17, gets underway
The Indian Navy’s Annual Theatre Readiness Operational Exercise (TROPEX) got underway on 24 Jan 17. This month long exercise will have ships and aircraft of both the Western and Eastern Naval Commands. This exercise is being conducted off the Western Seaboard. The last edition of the exercise was conducted in January 2015.
This exercise is aimed at testing combat readiness of the combined fleets of the Indian Navy and the assets of the Indian Air Force, Indian Army and the Indian Coast Guard to strengthen inter-operability and joint operations in a complex environment.
