Current Affairs July 2016 - Defence
News 1 - Indigenously built LCA "Tejas" inducted into the Indian Air Force
The first squadron of Made in India Light Combat Aircraft 'Tejas' was inducted into No. 45 Squadron of the Indian Air Force at the Aircraft System Testing Establishment in Bengaluru. No. 45 Squadron is also called the "Flying Daggers".
Tejas is the first advance Fly-by-wire (FBW) fighter aircraft designed and developed by the state-run Aeronautical Development Agency and built by HAL at its Bengaluru complex. It is conceived as a MiG-21 replacement and is also pegged to be world's smallest and lightest supersonic fighter jet. Tejas is a 4th Plus generation aircraft with a glass cockpit and with Satellite aided Inertial Navigation System. It has a digital computer based attack system and an autopilot. It can fire Air to Air Missiles, Bombs as well as Precision Guided Munitions.
News 2 - Exercise RIPMAC 2016 begins
Indian Naval ship Satpura, an indigenously built guided missile stealth frigate, arrived at Hawaii on 30th Jun 2016 to participate in the 25th edition of Exercise RIMPAC. Exercise RIMPAC is the largest multilateral naval exercise in the world and is held biennially in the Western Pacific Ocean.
The current edition of the exercise is scheduled off Hawaii from 30 June - 04 August 16 and is likely to be attended by 27 countries. The theme of RIMPAC 2016 is Capable, Adaptive, Partners.
News 3 - The 4th Follow-on Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (FO-WJFAC), INS TARASA, launched
The fourth in the series of Follow-on Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (FO-WJFAC) called "INS Tarasa" for the Indian Navy was launched at Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE), Kolkata.
These Follow-on Water Jet Fast Attack Craft are powered by the latest MTU engines and can attain a maximum speed of up to 35 Knots. The indigenous CRN 91 Gun with Optronic Pedestal gives the ships the requisite firepower to undertake its role of patrolling at sea effectively.
News 4 - India's first Integrated Defence Communication Network launched
Minister of Defence, Manohar Parrikar, dedicated the first integrated defence communication network to the country. The Defence Communication Network (DCN), a strategic, highly secure and scalable system will help enable the Army, Air Force, Navy and the Special Forces Command to share situational awareness for a faster decision-making process. It has a Pan-India reach from Ladakh to the North East to island territories.
The hi-tech, fully secure DCN is the largest single satellite network in the Indian Defence Forces. The network has been fully designed and developed in India by HCL Infosystems under a nearly Rs. 600 crore project.
News 5 - Planet HD 131399Ab and its three suns discovered by Astronomers
An Astronomer team from the University of Arizona, using telescope Sphere (Spectro-Polarimetric HighContrast Exoplanet Research Instrument) discovered a Jovian planet orbiting around a triple star system. This planet is named as HD 131399Ab, located 340 light years from Earth and is at least four times the mass of Jupiter. A three star system experiences triple sunrises and sunsets each day.
Due to its heavier weight, this new planet is considered as the largest planet of the solar system.
News 6 - Chief of the Naval Staff commissions INS Karna
Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of the Naval Staff, commissioned the Marine Commandos Unit as ‘INS Karna’ in a solemn ceremony held at the Naval Base at Vishakhapatnam. The Marine Commando Force (MCF), also called as the ‘MARCOS’, was raised in February 1987 as the Indian Marine Special Force (IMSF), capable of operating in all three dimensions, at sea, in air and on land.
The commissioning of INS Karna, has added a new base to the Special Forces of the Indian Navy as they deploy to safeguard our nation’s vast maritime interests.
News 7 - INS India, base depot ship of Indian Navy at New Delhi celebrates Platinum Jubilee
INS India, the base depot ship at New Delhi, celebrated its 75th anniversary on 13th July, 2016. The Base Depot ship (stone ship in naval parlance) has the privilege of being the Flagship of the Chief of the Naval Staff.
As a run up to celebrate this grand occasion, a series of events were organized. A Health Run and a Dream Walk was organized. A blood donation camp was also organized.
News 8 - DRDO successfully test fired Artillery Gun System
Defence Research and Development Organization successfully conducted proof firing tests of Armament system for 155 mm × 52 caliber New Advanced Towed Artillery gun system. This gun has a firing range of 40 kms and the mechanism to fire 155 mm caliber ammunition. It is designed under the supervision of Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune, a nodal laboratory of DRDO.
This gun system is developed with an aim to meet the requirement of the Indian Army and improve critical defence manufacturing technologies. The gun system is made of all electric drive to make it long lasting and reliable operation over a longer period of time.
News 9 - Tata Advanced Systems collaborates with Bell Helicopter
Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) and USbased Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc (NYSE: TXT) company have signed an agreement to work together in support of India’s aviation and defense modernization initiatives with an emphasis on ‘Make in India’.
TASL and Bell Helicopter agreed to jointly develop the helicopter market in India, including potential production and assembly, training, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), research and development (R&D) and technology sharing. Under this agreement TASL and Bell Helicopter will join forces to develop both commercial and government (including military) rotary wing markets in India in the light utility and reconnaissance segments.
News 10 - Indian Warships visit Port Kelang, Malaysia
Indian Naval Ships Sahyadri, Shakti and Kirch have arrived at Port Kelang on 15th July 2016 on a four-day visit, as part of deployment of the Eastern Fleet to the South China Sea and Western Pacific. The INS Sahyadri is commanded by Captain K S Rajkumar, INS Shakti is commanded by Captain Gagan Kaushal and INS Kirch is commanded by Commander Sharad Sinsunwal.
The current visit seeks to enhance maritime cooperation between the Indian Navy and the Royal Malaysian Navy. It will further bolster the strong bonds of friendship between India and Malaysia and contribute to security and stability in this vital part of the world.
News 11 - India signs a $1 billion deal with the US to buy four Poseidon-8I Aircrafts
India and the US signed a deal worth over $1 Billion for the purchase of four additional Poseidon-8I long range maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft. It takes the total value of arms contracts signed with the US to over $15 billion in the last 10 years. India has already bought eight P-81 planes in a direct deal with the firm worth $2.1 billion.
The long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft has an operational speed of 450 miles per hour and a range of 4,500 nautical miles.
India is also working on a deal to get 145 pieces of M777 lightweight howitzers from the US.
News 12 - Exercise Maitree 2016: Joint Indo – Thailand Military Exercise Culminates
The Indo – Thailand Military Exercise "MAITREE" concluded at Krabi, Thailand. The exercise had commenced on 15th July 2016 under the aegis of the Royal Thailand Army. About 90 soldiers of the Indian Army and the Royal Thailand Army had participated in this exercise.
This exercise included combined training, familiarization with weapons & equipment used by both the countries, analyzing groupings, drills and tactics while operating in counter terrorism environment and modalities for conduct of Area Domination operations in urban environment apart from operations like Cordon and Search, raids, Seek and Destroy Missions.
News 13 - Joint Exercises with Foreign Countries
India conducted a joint Humanitarian Mine Action and Peace Keeping Operations Field Training Exercise under ASEAN Defence Minister’s Meeting – Plus framework in Pune in March 2016. Over 300 personnel from 17 countries participated in this joint exercise, which was the largest such exercise ever held in India.
The Indian Armed Forces regularly conducts joint exercises in bilateral and other formats with friendly foreign countries, including those in East Asia. In 2015, 28 such joint exercises were conducted.
News 14 - Contract for Apache and Chinook Helicopters signed with the US Government
The Contract for Apache Attack Helicopters was signed with the US Government and Boeing at a cost of Rs. 13,951.57 Crores. The contract for Chinook Heavy Lift Helicopters was signed with Boeing, USA at the cost of Rs. 8047.85 Crores.
The delivery of Apache helicopters will commence from July, 2019 and will be completed by March, 2020. The delivery of Chinook Helicopters will start from March, 2019 and will be completed by March, 2020.
News 15 - DRDO and IAI to jointly develop the Upgradation of the Barak Missile System
Long Range Surface to Air Missile (LR-SAM) and Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM), upgraded version of Barak Missile System, are being jointly developed/produced by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and IAI, Israel.
LR-SAM / MR-SAM can detect any incoming enemy aerial targets i.e. aircraft or anti-ship missile from over 100 kms away and destroy them at a range out to 70 kms and thus provide the air defence capability to the assets of the Indian Armed Forces.
The LR-SAM Project has an estimated cost of Rs. 2606.02 Crores for which the contract was signed on 27th January 2006. It has a range of 70 Kms. The MR-SAM Project has an estimated cost of Rs. 10075.68 Crores for which the contract was signed on the 27th February 2009.
