General Awareness

DEFENCE - June 2020

Jun 2020

Aug 16, 2020

U.S. Formalises F-16 jet Sale to Taiwan

Taiwan formally signed an agreement to buy 66 of the latest model F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin Corp., a move likely to further inflame tensions between the U.S. and China.
Taiwan's purchase of the F-16s marks the first sale of advanced fighter jets to the island since President George H. W. Bush announced approval for 150 F-16s in 1992. A $62 billion figure announced by the Pentagon on Friday is the upper limit of numerous contracts if all potential foreign customers placed their maximum desired number over the decade.
The move is likely to be denounced by Beijing, even though the U.S. first signaled its plans to approve the sale a year ago in an informal notification to Congress and it could still be years before the jets are delivered.

Aug 15, 2020

BEML Teams Up with IIT-Kanpur for Pilotless Aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Bengaluru-headquartered BEML would collaborate with IIT-Kanpur for joint indigenous development of pilotless target aircraft (PTA) and tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Both the organisations would synergise respective capabilities and undertake feasibility study, design and development, testing and validation of tactical UAVs and PTA.
The jointly developed products will substitute the currently imported UAVs and PTA and aims to achieve self- reliance at a reduced cost.
This would also help foster innovation and technology development in defence and aerospace by engaging various industries, including MSMEs, start-ups, individual innovators, R&D institutes and academia.
This will enable BEML achieve a quantum jump in defence and aerospace business and provide a big thrust in 'Atmanirbharta' in the defence sector. The potential customers will constitute the armed forces, paramilitary and civilian.

Aug 14, 2020

Israel Test Arrow-2 Advanced Missile Defense System

Israel's Defense Ministry conducted a successful test of the country's advanced missile defense system against long-range ballistic attacks.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz said that the successful flight test of the Arrow-2 interceptor was part of Israel's technological effort that ensures that we will always be one step ahead of our enemies.
The test was conducted overnight in central Israel, jointly with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.
Arrow-2 is part of the multi-layered system Israel has developed to defend against both short- and mid-range rockets fired from Gaza and Lebanon, as well as Iran's long-range missiles. It includes Iron Dome, David's Sling and the Arrow-3 system - capable of defending against threats from outside the atmosphere.
Israel and the United States jointly tested Arrow-3 successfully last year in Alaska.

Indian Navy Sets up Own Organisation, NIIO, to Fulfill its Technological Requirements

The Indian Navy has set up a Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) to bridge its technological gap through innovation and the involvement of both the academia and the industry.
Launched by the Defence Minister, the Navy stated in its press release that the NIIO puts in place dedicated structures for end-users to interact with academia and industry towards fostering innovation and indigenisation for self-reliance in defence in keeping with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
The move is seen in consonance with the Draft Defence Acquisition Policy 2020 (DAP 20) which envisages the Service Headquarters establishing an Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation within existing resources.
Indian Navy already has a functional Directorate of Indigenisation (DoI) and the new structures created will build upon the ongoing indigenisation initiatives, as well as focus on innovation.
The NIIO is a three-tiered organisation.
Naval Technology Acceleration Council (N-TAC) will bring together the twin aspects of innovation and indigenisation and provide apex level directives
A working group under the N-TAC will implement the projects
A Technology Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC) has also been created for induction of emerging disruptive technology in an accelerated time frame.

Defence Ministry Launches Missile Test Equipment

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the Konkurs missile test equipment and Konkurs launcher test equipment which have been indigenously designed and developed by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). Earlier, these products were being imported from Russia.
The two indigenised products were virtually launched by the minister.
According to officials, the two products were launched as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat week being celebrated from August 7-14. The Konkurs missile test equipment is designed for checking the serviceability of Konkurs-M anti-tank guided missiles. Konkurs launcher test equipment is designed and developed for checking the serviceability of Konkurs-M missile launchers.

Aug 13, 2020

BSF Gets First Lot of Fully Indigenised Rifle Grenades

Border Security Force received the first consignment of fully indigenised 40 mm under-barrel grenade launcher (UBGL) ammunition produced by Ammunition Factory, Khadki in Pune. The grenade is fired from a launcher fitted under the barrel of the 5.56 mm INSAS rifle.
The advantages of 40 mm UBGL ammunition vis-a-vis traditional hand grenade are as that it is Iightweight and is also very safe while carrying by troops. Its range is 400 metres as compared to 30 metres of the hand lobbed get.
The UBGL ammunition has four variants for different purposes, including a rocket propelled one and one for practice.
The UBGL, which has a separate trigger, can also be mounted on the AK-47. A standalone version also exists. Some modifications are required to the front part of the weapon to mount the UBGL.

Aug 12, 2020

DAC Nod to Purchase of 106 Basic Trainer Aircraft from HAL

The Defence Ministry gave its go-ahead for the purchase of military equipment worth Rs. 8,722 crore, including 106 locally made basic trainer aircraft, for the Indian Air Force to provide a push to the government's Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan' (self-reliant India movement.
Basic trainers figure on the government's negative import list that seeks to ban the import of 101 different types of weapons, systems and ammunition over the next five years.
The ministry's defence acquisition council (DAC) accorded its acceptance of necessity (AoN) for buying 106 Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40) aircraft from state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at a meeting chaired by Rajnath Singh.
Under India's defence procurement rules, AoN by the council is the first step towards buying military hardware.

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