General Awareness

DEFENCE - January 2021

Jan 2021

Jan 27, 2021

India Successfully Tests New Gen Akash Missile

India successfully test-fired the Akash-NG (new generation) surface-to-air missile for the first time off the Odisha coast.
Akash-NG missile has been designed to strike low radar cross-section aerial targets. It weighs only half of the existing Akash missile and requires fewer ground systems.
The existing Akash missile has a range of 25 km, while the upgraded variant (NG) can strike targets at a distance of 30 km.
Akash-NG is a new generation surface-to-air missile meant for use by Indian Air Force with an aim of intercepting high maneuvering low radar cross-section aerial threats.
The Akash-NG system has been developed with better deploy ability compared to other similar systems with canisterised launcher and much smaller ground system footprint.

Jan 26, 2021

Israel Allows US to Deploy Iron Dome Missile Defence System in the Gulf

The United States is expected to soon begin deploying the Israeli-manufactured Iron Dome missile defence system in its bases in the Gulf States.
Three weeks ago, Israel handed over a second Iron Dome battery developed by the country's Rafael Advanced Defence Systems to the US Defence Department as part of an agreement for two Iron Dome batteries signed between the US and Israel in August 2019.
The report comes against the backdrop of recent normalisation accords between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, and two large US arms deals, one with the UAE and the other with Saudi Arabia.

Jan 25, 2021

Operation Sard Hawa

The Operation Sard Hawa was launched by the Border Security Force in the western border of Rajasthan. The main purpose of the operation is to check the instances of infiltration due to dense fog in the region. The Operation has also been launched to enhance the security ahead of Republic Day. The operation is to run till January 27, 2021.
The operation was launched to keep a hawk's eye in the international border.
Under the operation, the jawans will patrol with advanced weapons in the police station areas near to the border.
The number of jawans deployed in the border has been increased under the operation.
The intelligence wing of Border Security Force is also to be in active mode during Operation Sard Hawa.

UP Becomes First State to Have 2 Airstrips for Landing, Take-off of Fighter Jets

With the completion of the construction of the 3,300-metre-long airstrip near Kurebhar on Purvanchal Expressway, Uttar Pradesh has become the first state in the country with two airstrips on expressways to facilitate emergency landing and take-off of fighter planes.
Awanish Kumar Awasthi, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Uttar Pradesh said, "The construction of Purvanchal expressway being completed rapidly. The construction of the 3,300-metre-long airstrip near Kurebhar on the expressway has been completed. All categories of aircraft can land on this airstrip. The Indian Air Force is likely to test the airstrip soon."
Notably, Uttar Pradesh has become the first state in the country with two airstrips on expressways. One airstrip is on Lucknow-Agra Expressway while the other is on Purvanchal Expressway. Airstrips on expressways are designed to facilitate emergency landing and take-off of fighter planes.
Earlier, the Indian Air Force had examined Yamuna Expressway and Agra Expressway. Aircraft like Mirage 2000, Jaguar, Sukhoi 30 and Super Hercules had already landed on Lucknow-Agra Expressway. Uttar Pradesh government is trying to connect the entire northern part of the country with expressways.

Jan 24, 2021

Hawk-i Aircraft Test-fires DRDO's Smart Weapon

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) announced that a Hawk-I aircraft successfully fired a Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW) for the first time off the coast of Odisha, in what is being seen as a significant boost to an upgrade programme for the Hawk advanced jet trainer operated by the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy.
The SAAW is a precision strike weapon that can be used to target enemy airfield assets such as radars, bunkers, taxi tracks and runways. Indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation's research centre Imarat, the weapon has a range of 100 km. It was test-fired from the IAF's Jaguar fighter planes.
It is the first smart weapon to be fired from an Indian Hawk Mk132 trainer aircraft. "HAL has been focusing on the Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign. The company-owned Hawk-I platform is being extensively used for certification of systems and weapons developed indigenously by DRDO and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research labs," HAL chairman R Madhavan said. The plane was flown by HAL test pilots Wing Commanders (retd) P Awasthi and M Patel.

Jan 23, 2021

Iran Kicks Off Ground Forces Drill on Coast of Gulf of Oman

Iran's military kicked off ground forces drill along the coast of the Gulf of Oman, state TV reported, the latest in a series of snap exercises that the country is holding amid escalating tensions over its nuclear programme and Washington's pressure campaign against Tehran.
According to the report, commando units and airborne infantry were participating in the annual exercise, along with fighter jets, helicopters and military transport aircraft. Iran's National Army chief Abdolrahim Mousavi was overseeing the drill.
Iran has recently stepped up military drills as part of an effort to pressure President-elect Joe Biden over the nuclear deal that President Donald Trump pulled out of. Mr. Biden has said the U.S. could rejoin the multinational accord meant to contain Iran's nuclear programme.

Joe Biden Seeks Five-year Extension of New START Arms Treaty with Russia

The Biden administration plans to seek a five-year extension to the New START arms control treaty with Russia, the White House announced, only days before the crucial nuclear arms pact was set to expire.
"The President has long been clear that the New START treaty is in the national security interests of the United States. And this extension makes even more sense when the relationship with Russia is adversarial as it is at this time," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a briefing.
The New START arms control treaty was signed by then-US President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in 2010. It restricts the number of strategic nuclear warheads the pair can deploy to not more than 1,550. There is also a limit on the missiles and bombers that carry them.
The agreement, one of the last restraints on Russia and the United States' nuclear forces, was set to expire on February 5.

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