Current Affairs January 2020 - Defence
1 - General Bipin Rawat proposed creation of Air Defence Command
Chief of the Defence Staff, CDS General Bipin Rawat directed various branch heads to come up with recommendations for inter-service synergy in a time bound manner and prepare a proposal to create Air Defence Command.
General Rawat directed that all three services and Coast Guard must be consulted and their views obtained in a time bound manner. The Chief of the Defence Staff stressed that all must worktowards accomplishing desired results and coming up with healthy views and ideas.
2 - Indian Army to sign MoU with Russia on AK-203 assault rifles
The Indian Army is to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Russia for the procurement of over 7.5 lakh AK-203 assault rifles. While 1 lakh rifles will come directly from Russia, 6.5 lakh rifles will be manufactured by India-Russia joint venture (JV).
The Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) at Amethi district’s Korwa town in Uttar Pradesh will manufacture the rifles. The factory is a joint-venture of the Ordnance Factory Board(OFB) of India and Rosoboron Exports and Kalashnikov of Russia. Major General Sanjeev Senger is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of IRRPL.
3 - 12th edition of the Indo-Oman bilateral naval exercise, Naseem-Al- Bahr
The 12th edition of the Indo-Oman bilateral naval exercise ‘Naseem-Al-Bahr’ was organised in Goa. Two ships of the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO), namely RNOV Al Rasikh and RNOV Khassab participated in the exercise along with Indian Navy ships Beas and Subhadra.
‘Naseem-Al-Bahr’ (which means sea breeze) is a bilateral naval exercise between the Indian Navy and the RNO. It is a biennial naval exercise being conducted since 1993.
4 - DRDO's Naval variant of Light Combat Aircraft makes its first successful landing
The naval variant of indigenous Light Combat Aircraft, LCA, made its first successful landing on the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. This aircraft is developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, DRDO.
With the successful landing of Light Combat Aircraft, LCA on aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, India has entered into the club of selected nations having the capability to design a fighter jet which can land on an aircraft carrier. LCA is the smallest and lightest Multi-Role Supersonic Fighter Aircraft of its class. The LCA programme intends to further expand and advance India's indigenous aerospace capabilities.
5 - Indian Navy start 1st ‘Maha-Navy Connect 2020’
An expedition, to promote the maritime heritage of India and spread awareness about Coastal Security amongst the coastal communities in Maharashtra, was launched by the Indian Navy from the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. Western Naval Command flagged off the tri-dimensional expedition consisting of yachting, running and cycling teams of 50 naval personnel along three different axes.
The expedition extended from Arnala fort, Northernmost fort of Maharashtra to Sindhudurg fort, the southernmost fort of Maharashtra, covering more than 555 km.
6 - Visakhapatnam to host MILAN 2020 naval exercise in March
The Indian Navy would be hosting MILAN, a multi-lateral naval exercise in March 2020. MILAN series of biennial exercises, which commenced in 1995 and conducted at Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) till 2019, will be conducted for the first time on the mainland at the eastern naval command (ENC). The theme of the exercise for the year 2020 is ‘Synergy Across the Seas’.
Milan 2020 is aimed to enhance professional interaction between foreign-friendly navies and learn from each other's strengths and best practices in the maritime domain.
7 - India’s 1st indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant to be commissioned by 2021
India's 1st indigenous Aircraft Carrier Vikrant is likely to be commissioned by early 2021. It is currently being completed at Limited (CSL) in Kochi and is currently under phase three which involves setting to work of machinery and other equipment.
The third phase of construction will go on till acceptance of harbor, aviation trials and sea trials. Vikrant will be fully operational by 2022 and it will have a fleet of MiG-29K aircraft.
8 - India deployed INS Vikramaditya in Arabian Sea amid Ex.’Sea Guardians’
India had deployed its aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya in the Arabian Sea. The aircraft carrier was deployed amid the Pakistan-China naval exercise "Sea Guardians" taking place in North Arabian Sea.
INS Vikramaditya is a modified Kiev-class aircraft carrier and the flagship of the Indian Navy, which entered into service in 2013. It has been renamed in honour of Vikramaditya, a legendary emperor of India. Vikramaditya has been designed as a STOBAR carrier capable of operating both conventional fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, with up to 34 aircraft.
9 - India and Japan conduct exercise ‘Sahyog-Kaijin’
The Japan Coast Guard Ship ‘Echigo’ participated in the Annual Joint Exercise ‘Sahyog-Kaijin’ with the Indian Coast Guard off Chennai. It was the 19th such exercise being conducted between the two Coast Guards since 2000.
The exercise is aimmed at further strengthening bilateral ties and mutual understanding between the two Coast Guards. It is set to enhance interoperability in communication and Search and Rescue procedures and sharing of best practices.
10 - Indian Navy to get upgraded Fuel HFHSD – IN 512
The Indian Navy with the support of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) has managed to get new fuel (High Flash High Speed Diesel) HFHSD – IN 512. The new specification will not only ensure a better quality fuel but also result in a reduced carbon footprint.
With this, the country will be able to ensure interoperability amongst foreign navies during fleet exercises and provide fuel of quality better than that mandated to all foreign navies under bilateral/ multi-national logistics support pacts including LEMOA (Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement).
11 - India and Finland inked MoU to enhance bilateral defence cooperation
Ministry of Defence of Finland signed a MoU with India to boost defence cooperation between India and Finland. The MoU on co-operation in the field of Production, Procurement, Research and Development of Defence related Equipment and Industrial cooperation has been inked on the sidelines of Raisina Dialogue 2020.
Finland had evidenced their interest to participate in the ‘Make in India’ vision and formalise an arrangement for Defence Industrial cooperation through a MoU with India.
12 - Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off 51st K9 VAJRA-T gun
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off 51st K9 VAJRA-T Gun from Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Armoured System Complex at Hazira in Gujarat. The gun weighs 50 tonnes and can fire 47kg bombs at 43-kilometre distant targets, having ability to turn around at zero radius.
Earlier in 2017, L&T had signed ₹4,500-crore contract from the Ministry of Defence to supply 100 units of K9 Vajra-T 155 mm/52 calibre tracked self-propelled gun systems to the Indian Army. It is considered as largest contract awarded to a private company by the Ministry of Defence.
13 - Indian Navy signed MoU for offshore Data with GSI
Indian Navy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Geological Survey of India(GSI) for ‘Sharing of seabed sediments data, products and expertise for Naval Application inMeteorology and Oceanography’.
GSI’s Marine and Coastal survey Division based at Mangaluru has mapped most of India’s 2.1 Million sq km Exclusive Economic Zone and has a vast repository of offshore data. This data collected using GSI’s state-of-the-art oceanic research vessels Samudra Manthan, Samudra Kaustubh, Samudra Shaudhikama and Samudra Ratnakar, will now be used by Indian Navy’s rapidly growing blue water fleet for reliable and accurate oceanographic modeling to support their expansive maritime operations in the Indian Ocean region.
14 - IAF inducts its first squadron of Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft equipped with BrahMos missiles
The Indian Air Force has inducted its first squadron of Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft carrying the BrahMos missiles. The newly reinstated 222-squadron, also known as the Tigersharks, would serve as a lethal weapons platform capable of carrying both aerial and maritime roles in the Indian Ocean Region.
The newly inducted squadron of Sukhoi-30MKI is armed with 2.5-ton air-launched BrahMos Missile. The supersonic cruise missile is capable of striking targets at a distance of 300 KM.
15 - India successfully test-fired K-4 ballistic missile
India has successfully test-fired K-4 ballistic missile that can be launched from a submarine. The test ofthe 3,500 kilometre range nuclear capable missile was conducted off the Vizag coast in Andhra Pradesh.
With this test, India has moved one more step towards the induction of this ballistic missile on the INS Arihant class of nuclear submarines. The missile was developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The three-metre-tall missile carries a nuclear warhead of over one tonne. Only the US, Russia and China have submarine-launched ballistic missiles of 3,500-kilometre range.
16 - Russia to deliver S-400 air defence systems to India by 2025
Russia has started production of S-400 long-range surface-to-air missile systems for India, and all five units will be delivered by 2025. In October 2018, India signed a USD 5 billion deal to buy the air defence missile systems.
The S-400, an upgraded version of the S-300, had previously only been available to the Russian defence forces. It is manufactured by Almaz-Antey and has been in service in Russia since 2007.
