INDIA'S RACE TO TEST MISSILE (10 MISSILES TESTED)
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will early next week fire the 800 km range Nirbhay sub-sonic cruise missile, the last for the solid rocket booster missile before its formal induction into the army and the navy. It would be the tenth missile test-firing by India’s lead defence research organisation in the last 35 days. The DRDO’s effort to fast- track development of ‘Made in India’ strategic nuclear and conventional missiles - comes against the backdrop of China’s refusal to step back from the Line of Actual Control. China’s People’s Liberation Army had first clashed with Indian soldiers on the northern bank of Ladakh’s Pangong Tso Lake on May 5 this year, setting up a stand-off that rapidly expanded to four locations in East Ladakh. The stand-off escalated into a bloody clash in June that killed soldiers on both sides. It was the first time that the two countries had lost soldiers on this border in four decades.
HYPERSONIC TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION VEHICLE
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight tested the Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV). HSTDV is an unmanned scramjet demonstration aircraft that can travel at hypersonic speed. The test was conducted from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Launch Complex at APJ Abdul Kalam island off the coast of Odisha. The indigenous development of the technology will boost the development of the systems built with hypersonic vehicles at its core. India became the fourth country to have demonstrated this technology after the USA, Russia and China.
ABHYAS MISSILE
DRDO conducted successful flight-tests of the indigenously-designed Abhyas High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) in Balasore (Odisha). Designed and developed by Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) of DRDO. Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) is a key Aeronautical Systems Design Laboratory under DRDO. It is a drone (UAV) that will be used as a target for various missile systems.
LASER GUIDED ANTI TANK MISSILE- I
It is an indigenously developed laser-guided anti-tank guided missile was successfully test fired in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar by DRDO. It is to destroy armoured vehicles including tanks. And for doing this, these ATGMs use different types of guidance systems which include laser, TV cameras and wire guiding. Also, some of these are flexible enough and can be used through an aircraft, land vehicles and by the infantry.
NIGHT TRIAL OF PRITHVI-II
The Strategic Forces Command of Indian Army successfully conducted a night trial of nuclear-capable ballistic missile Prithvi-II from a defence test facility off Odisha coast. Prithvi-II, capable of attacking targets at a range of 350 km, is India’s first developed and inducted indigenous surface-to-surface strategic missile.
SUPERSONIC MISSILE- BRAHMOS
BRAHMOS supersonic cruise missile featuring Indian propulsion system, airframe, power supply, and other major indigenous components has been successfully test-fired. BRAHMOS is a joint venture between DRDO and the NPOM of Russia. Brahmos is named on the rivers Brahmaputra and Moskva. It is a two-stage (solid propellant engine in the first stage and liquid ramjet in second) air to surface missile with a flight range of around 300 km. It is a multiplatform i.e. it can be launched from land, air, and sea and multi capability missile & one of the fastest cruise missiles currently operationally deployed with speed of Mach 2.8, which is 3 times more than the speed of sound.
LASER GUIDED ANTI TANK MISSILE- II
It is an indigenously developed laser-guided anti-tank guided missile was successfully test fired in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar by DRDO. The ATGM employs a tandem heat warhead to defeat explosive reactive armour (ERA) protected armoured vehicles in ranges from 1.5 to 5 km. It was the second such successful test firing of the missile, having a range of upto 5 km.
SUPERSONIC- SHAURYA MISSILE
Recently, a successful trial of the nuclear-capable Shaurya missile was conducted by India. Shaurya is a land variant of short-range Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) K-15 Sagarika, which has a range of at least 750 kilometers. It is a surface-to-surface tactical missile. These ballistic missiles belong to the K missile family - codenamed after late Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam - which is launched from Arihant class of nuclear submarines. A Ballistic Missile Defence system (BMD) is a missile defence system that acts as a shield against ballistic missile attacks.
SMART MISSILE
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a successful flight test of the Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) from Wheeler Island off the coast of Odisha. Torpedo is a cigar-shaped, self-propelled underwater weapon, launched from a submarine, surface vessel, or airplane and designed for exploding upon contact with the hulls of surface vessels and submarines. Varunastra is the first indigenous heavyweight ship launched anti-submarine electric torpedo. It strengthens the country’s maritime strategic capabilities & has a major breakthrough for stand-off capability in anti-submarine warfare.
ANTI RADIATION MISSILE- RUDRAM
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully flight tested indigenously developed Anti Radiation Missile (Rudram-1). It is an air-to-surface missile, designed and developed by the DRDO. Once the missile locks on the target, it is capable of striking accurately even if the radiation source switches off in between. Rudram has been developed for the Indian Air Force - IAF’s requirement to enhance its Suppression of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD) capability.
The DRDO was quietly told to fast-track its missile programme in the early part of the standoff because the Indian government had doubts about China’s commitment to peace on the border. And DRDO - it has fired a missile every four days over nearly a month. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has held up Chinese president Xi Jinping’s aggression on the border with India as an example of the Chinese communist party’s “bad behavior”. The US estimates China has mobilized about 60,000 troops in depth locations across Ladakh.
QUESTIONS (1-5)
Q.1 Which of the following organizations have tested 10 missiles in almost one month to increase India's defence power as the situation develop between India & China?
A. Indian Space Research Organisation
B. Defence Research and Development Organization: ANSWER
C. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
D. None of the above
Q.2 Which of the following personalities is currently the chairman of Defence Research and Development Organization?
A. Tessy Thomas
B. Avinash Chander
C. Dr. G Satheesh Reddy: ANSWER
D. Kailasavadivoo Sivan
Q.3 Which of the following was the first missile that is tested successfully by DRDO in a series of 10 missiles testing in a time of almost a month?
A. Hypersonic technology Demonstration vehicle: ANSWER
B. SMART Missile
C. BRAHMOS Missile
D. Anti Radiation Missile- RUDRAM
Q.4 BRAHMOS supersonic cruise missile has been successfully test-fired. BRAHMOS is a joint venture between DRDO of India & the NPOM of ________?
A. Israel
B. United States of America
C. France
D. Russia: ANSWER
Q.5 The DRDO recently conducted successful test firing of a new version of Shaurya nuclear capable ballistic missile. It is a _______ category of missile.
A. Surface-to-Air
B. Air-to-Air
C. Surface-to-Surface: ANSWER
D. Air-to-Surface
