General Awareness

DEFENCE - October 2019

Oct 2019

Jan 25, 2020

CONTROP to Supply Indian Army with iSky 50HD uav Electro-optic System

CONTROP Precision Technologies Ltd. a company specialising in the field of electro-optics and infrared (EO/IR) for defence and homeland security solutions, has won a tender by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the supply of its iSky-50HD systems, for use on unmanned air platforms.
The iSky-50HD is a member of CONTROP's iSky family of lightweight, compact EO/IR observation systems, which have been specifically designed for use in challenging airborne environments. The iSky-50HD features highly-sensitive multi-spectral sensors, which are gyro-stabilized and have advanced image processing algorithms,thereby providing maximum sensor ranges and performance,for a variety of airborne defence applications. In daily operation around the world since the 1990s, the iSky systems are integrated into a wide variety of UAV, helicopter, fixed-wing aircraft and aerostat platforms.
"Winning this tender confirms CONTROP's leadership in the field of electro-optic systems," says Mr. Hagay Azani, CONTROP's CEO & President. "We are very proud to havebeen awarded this strategic tender, which reflects our deep commitment to supporting the Indian Armed Forces with the latest technology. The DRDO tested several systems and concluded that our technology and pricing was best suited to meet India's defence requirements. We thank the DRDO for the confidence which they have shown in our products and technologies, and hope that this collaboration will lead to further projects in the future."

Jan 24, 2020

Pakistan Successfully Conducts Surface-to-surface Training Launch of Missile Ghaznavi

Pakistan conducted a successful training launch of surface-to-surface ballistic missile (SSBM) Ghaznavi. This launch was carried out as part of a training exercise of Army Strategic Forces Command aimed at rehearsing operational readiness procedures during day and night.
The President, Prime Minister, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and services chiefs have congratulated the nation on this landmark achievement.
As per the military's media wing, missile Ghaznavi is capable of delivering multiple types of warheads up to a range of 290 kilometres.
In November 2019, Pakistan carried out a successful training launch of ballistic missile Shaheen-I which was also an SSBM.

Jan 23, 2020

French and German Firms in Final Race to Supply Torpedoes for Indian Navy's Scorpene Submarines

German Atlas Elektronik and French Naval Group are in the final race for supplying heavyweight torpedoes for the Indian Navy's tender to acquire around 100 of them for the Scorpene class conventional and Arihant class nuclear submarines. The last day for responding to the tenders was January 17 and only two firms including German Atlas Elektronik and French Naval Group have responded to the request for proposal issues in this regard.
The tender assumes significance as the French-origin Scorpene submarines, being built in India at the Mazagon Dockyards Limited (MDL), have not yet been equipped with new torpedoes.

Manufacturing Capacity of Battle Tanks for Indian Army Doubled

The engine manufacturing capacity for the battle tanks in the Indian Ordnance Board's Engines Factory near Chennai has been more than doubled to 750 per annum.
It was earlier fixed at 350 engines per year. As per the board Chairman Hari Mohan, the capacity augmentation is to meet the increasing demand of the Indian Army.
He inaugurated the new Flexible Manufacturing System-FMS in the factory. He said that the new system is the first to be installed in any of the Ordnance Factories in the country to help increase productivity.
The Engine Factory at Avadi is the only unit in the country dedicated to manufacturing fully indigenised engines for the Army's Main Battle Tanks.

Jan 22, 2020

Defence Ministry Clears Shipbuilders for Submarine Project

The defence ministry cleared two Indian and five foreign shipbuilders to take part in a Rs. 50,000-crore project to build high-tech submarines in the country, one of the biggest Make in India programmes in the military sector.
Six advanced submarines will be built under project P-75I to scale up the Indian Navy's undersea warfare capabilities and counter the rapid expansion of China's submarine fleet. The project will be pursued under the government's 'strategic partnership' (SP) model, which seeks to provide fillip to the government's Make in India programme.
The Indian strategic partners cleared to collaborate with the foreign OEMs are Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited and L&T. The foreign yards they can team up with for the project are the French Naval Group, German conglomerate.

Sarang Gun Successfully Test-fired

Indigenously upgraded Sharang 155 mm gun system was successfully test-fired at the Long Proof Range (LPR) firing range of Khamaria in Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh. The firepower of this high calibre gun, which is also the country's largest indigenous gun, has been increased to 39 km.
As part of the Narendra Modi government's 'Make in India' initiative, the indigenously-designed towed 155 mm/45 calibre artillery gun Sharang will soon be supplied to the Indian Army from Gun Carriage Factory and Ordnance Factory, Kanpur.
The induction of Sharang will bolster the Army's combat abilities along the lines of the 'Soltam-155' guns manufactured by Russia. The weapon has been upgraded successfully from its previous specification of 130 mm to 155 mm.

Jan 21, 2020

SC accepts Centre's proposal to take over management control of Unitech

The top court approved the name of retired Haryana cadre IAS officer Yudvir Singh Malik as chairman and managing director (CMD) of the new board and directed that the existing board of directors of the company would stand superseded.
In a respite to over 12,000 hassled homebuyers of Unitech Ltd, the Supreme Court allowed the Centre to take total management control of the embattled realty firm and appoint a new board of nominee directors.
It also refused to appoint Unitech Group founder Ramesh Chandra, as a member of the new board saying that it would not be appropriate at this stage.
A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah asked the new board to submit its report in two months on the resolution framework of the company.

Sukhoi-30 MKI jets inducted in Thanjavur air base

Five Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jets, which possess the capability to carry advanced BrahMos missiles, will now guard the strategically crucial Indian Ocean region with the Indian Air Force (IAF) inducting a squadron of the high-profile fighter jet at its airbase in Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu.
The first such base in Southern India was inducted by Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat in the presence of Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria at the Thanjavur Air Base. Starting with five fighter jets, the newly-resurrected unit, 222 (Tigersharks) Squadron, will achieve its full capacity of 18 planes gradually. The squadron aircraft will be equipped with the Brahmos medium-range supersonic cruise missile, which has a range of 290 km.
First raised in Ambala in September 1969, the Tigersharks squadron was moved to Halwara in 1971, from where it carried out combat operations in the war with Pakistan later that year. Four years later, the squadron was moved back to Ambala (1975), Hindon (1985) and Hasimara (1989 to January 5, 2020).

Andhra assembly passes bill to create three state capitals

The Andhra Pradesh Assembly passed a bill to create three capitals in the state, with the executive capital in Visakhapatnam, Legislative capital in Amaravati and judicial capital in Kurnool.
The bill, Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, 2020, was introduced by state finance minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy in the state assembly, which met for a three-day special session in Amaravati.
A second bill, the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) Repeal Bill, 2020, which seeks to abolish the APCRDA which was formed in December 2014 to oversee the development of Amaravati as the capital city, was also introduced in the assembly by municipal administration minister Botsa Satyanarayana.
As the ruling YSR Congress Party enjoys a majority with 151 MLAs in the 175-member state assembly, both bills were expected to be passed .

Andhra cabinet approves report on decentralization of capital

The Andhra Pradesh government approved the report of the high power committee on decentralization of the state's capital during a cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy in Amaravati.
Apart from the decentralization of the capital between Amaravati, Visakhapatnam, and Kurnool, farmers' concerns, employee problems, alleged insider trading of Amaravati lands and amendments to the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority Act were also discussed at the meeting.
The cabinet's nod comes even as a three-day special winter assembly session is being held to discuss and approve the report.

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