What is varunastra missile?



Varunastra is a heavy weight, electrically-propelled anti-submarine torpedo capable of targeting quiet and stealth submarines, both in deep and shallow waters in an intense countermeasure environment. Developed by the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory of the DRDO, the Varunastra torpedo was formally inducted into the Indian Navy in 2016. Varunastra can be fired from all anti-submarine warfare ships.



According to news reports, the Indian Navy will receive a second tranch of the Varunastra in April 2019 — exclusively for use on the Scorpene-class, the INS Sindhughosh (Kilo-class) and the Arihant-class submarines.



Developing the Varunastra took massive leaps forward in key areas of technology. The battery that powers the electric motor, for example, is almost two and a half times more powerful than ones used in current Indian Navy torpedos.



Another huge first is the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) for target homing in case the torpedo is aimed against a submarine using torpedo decoys. The DRDO believes that Varunastra is the first torpedo in the world to use GPS-based targeting.



 



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Indian Air Force DRDO Netra AWACS Planes To Look Deep Into Pakistan And China



Netra is an Airbome Early Waming and Control (AEWC) aircraft fitted with indigenously developed electronics and hardware. It is useful for surveillance, tracking, identification and classification of airbome and sea surface targets. It is also useful in detecting incoming ballistic missile threats. It played a key role during the Balakot airstrike, carried out by the IAF in February 2019. It provided surveillance and radar coverage to the five Mirage jets that bombed terror launch pads in Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. It was designed and developed by scientists of the DRDO, with assistance from the Bengaluru based Centre for Airborne Systems.





China is equipped with better capabilities. As TOI reported earlier, China has over 20 AWACS, including the new KJ-500 ones that can track over 60 aircraft at ranges up to 470km, while Pakistan, on the other hand has four Swedish Saab-2000 AeW&C aircraft and four Chinese-origin ZDK-03 (KJ-200) AWACS.



Keeping this in mind, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), in March 2016 cleared building of two Awacs, which will involve mounting indigenous 360-degree coverage AESA (active electronically scanned array) radars on Airbus A-330 wide-body jets.



 



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Which country has ASAT missile?



India launched its first anti-satellite weapon (ASAT), as part of its Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme, in 2019. The interceptor successfully shot down an out-of service Indian satellite in a low Earth orbit. The test dubbed Mission Shakti, was a joint programme of the DRDO and the Indian Space Research Organisation. With the successful completion of the test, India became only the fourth country after the U.S., Russia and China to have this space weapon technology. Anti-satellite weapons, called ASAT systems, are capable of attacking enemy satellites in space by jamming communications or destroying them. ASAT missiles also act as a space deterrent in dissuading rivals from targeting the country's satellite network. Satellites are important for a country's infrastructure as a large number of crucial applications such as navigation and communication networks, banking, stock markets and weather forecasting, are now satellite-based. Destroying satellites could cripple these services. An ASAT system can even target a ground station and stop transmission of information from the satellite attached to it. The system can also direct a manoeuvrable satellite to smash into another satellite!



India has a long standing and rapidly growing space programme. It has expanded rapidly in the last five years. The Mangalyaan Mission to Mars was successfully launched. Thereafter, the government sanctioned the Gaganyaan Mission which will take Indians to outer space.



India has also undertaken 102 spacecraft missions consisting of communication satellites, earth observation satellites, experimental satellites, navigation satellites, apart from satellites meant for scientific research and exploration, academic studies and other small satellites. India’s space programme is a critical backbone of India’s security, economic and social infrastructure.



The test was done to verify that India has the capability to safeguard our space assets.



 



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What is Astra Missile?



Astra is a Beyond Visual Range (BVR) class of Air-to-Air Missile (AAM) system designed to be mounted on fighter jets. With a 15-kg high-explosive pre-fragmented warhead, Astra has a range of over 70 km and can fly towards its target at a speed of over 5,555 km/hr. It has an all weather day-and-night capability. The missile is being developed in multiple variants to meet specific requirements.



The missile has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), along with almost 50 other public and private organisations, which were involved in multiple variants to meet specific requirements.



For the IAF trials, the Astra Mk-I Weapon system integrated with SU-30 Mk-I aircraft was carried out by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.



 



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India's indigenously designed Arjun Mk-1A clears trials, ready to go into production



Arjun Mk-1A dubbed Hunter Killer, is an all-weather 68-tonne battle tank featuring a 120mm main gun. An improved version of the indigenously developed Arjun main battle tank (MBT). Arjun Mk-1A has successfully completed necessary trials. The Mk 1-A sports a sophisticated gunners main sight integrated with automatic target tracking. This would enable the tank crew to track moving targets automatically. The gun is controlled by a computerised fire control system, giving the tank higher kill capability.



The battle tank will have a crew of four -- commander, gunner, loader and driver. Keeping them out of harm's way is paramount. For this, Arjun Mk-1A comes with a slew of new features.



Balamurugan said Track Width Mine Plough (TWMP) is a significant addition which provides capability for the battle tank to cross minefields with ease as the plough mounted to the front of the vehicle creates a mine-free path by ploughing through mines and throwing them to the sides of the tank.



Another key feature added is a Containerised Ammunition Bin with Individual Shutter (CABIS) that gives crew enhanced protection from inadvertent burning of ammunition stored in the ready round bin.



The hot gases generated due to ammunition burning is vented out by blow-off panels from the roof of the turret, thus saving the crew.



 



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India successfully tests Rudram-1: First indigenous anti-radiation missile



The New Generation Anti Radiation Missile (NGRAM), also called RudraM-1, was test-fired from a Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force earlier this month. With a speed of Mach 2 (twice the speed of sound). The missile is capable of bringing down a wide range of enemy radar systems, communication networks and air defence systems within a range of up to 250 km. The missile has been designed to be launched from various fighter aircraft Currently in the inventory of the IAF. It is also equipped with state of the art radiation tracking and guidance system.



Conducting yet another test of a indigenously developed weapons system, the Defence Research and Development Organisation on Friday conducted a successful test of the New Generation Anti Radiation Missile (NGRAM) also called the Rudram-1 at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Balasore.



The missile has been designed to be launched from various fighter aircraft currently in the inventory of the Indian Air Force. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted, “The New Generation Anti-Radiation Missile (Rudram-1) which is India’s first indigenous anti-radiation missile developed by DRDO for Indian Air Force was tested successfully today at ITR, Balasore. Congratulations to DRDO & other stakeholders for this remarkable achievement.”



DRDO scientists said that the missile has been designed to further enhance the Suppression of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD) capability of the IAF. Anti Radiation Missiles are primarily designed to track and neutralise the radar and communication assets of the adversary. Officials said that the development of the anti radiation missiles of this type was started by the DRDO around eight years ago and has been a collaborative effort of various DRDO facilities in India.



 



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What is the clipper route?



Clippers were 19th Century merchant sailing ships that sailed mainly between England and China, Australia and New Zealand. They were fast sailing ships, equipped with multiple square rigged sails supported by three masts. These ships gained in prominence because of the booming tea and opium trade between England and China. The route plied by these ships was called the clipper route.



The clipper route ran down the Atlantic Ocean, rounded the Cape of Good Hope and then went from west to east though the Southern Ocean. The ships took advantage of the Roaring Forties, the strong westerly winds that blow between the latitudes of 40 and 50 degrees in the southern hemisphere. It was the fastest route available between Europe and Asia before the opening of the Suez Canal. The ships would continue eastwards on the homeward journey from Australia and New Zealand along the Southern Ocean, sail around Cape Horn in South America and another 100 days from there back to England.



The ships plying the clipper route faced dangers like turbulent weather at Cape Horn and huge waves and icebergs in the Southern Ocean. However, ship captains still preferred the unsafe route as it offered fast passage.



The clipper route fell into disuse as a trade route with the opening of the Suez and Panama Canals. Moreover, streamships gradually phased out clippers. Though clippers were fast, their speed was largely determined by winds while streamships were more reliable in sticking to their schedules.



Today, the clipper route remains the fastest sailing route around the world. So it is popular with sailing enthusiasts, especially for modern circumnavigation attempts and yacht races like the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and Volvo Ocean Race.



 



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How the central government did responds to Rafale deal?




  • Former Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the prices could not be compared as the tender for 126 aircraft and the agreement for 36 aircraft had different requirements.

  • The Central government also claimed that it did not have any role in the selection of the Indian offset partner. (However, Francois Hollande, who was the President of France when the Rafale deal was signed, stated in an interview that it was the Indian government that suggested Reliance Defence Ltd. as the offset partner for the deal. And Dassault Aviation’s chief executive officer, Eric Trappier, in November 2018, said that it was his company that chose Reliance Defence).

  • Nirmala Sitharaman also said that approval from the Cabinet Committee on Security had been obtained before the signing of IGA.



Supreme Court order



In October 2018, the Supreme Court, while hearing a public interest litigation, directed the Central government to provide the pricing details of the Rafale fighter jets in a sealed cover. In December 2018, the court dismissed all the petitions seeking a probe into the alleged irregularities in the deal, and gave a clean chit to the Union government on all three aspects – the decision making, pricing and selection of Indian offset partner. However, petitioners have sought a review of the December 2018 order following which the Union government wants all review petitions dismissed by the apex court.



 



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What were the alleged irregularities in the Rafale deal?



Price escalation



The Congress Party alleged that the BJP-led government procured each aircraft at a much higher price than what was finalised by the UPA government.



Lack of transparency & favouritism



The party accused the Central government of promoting crony capitalism by ‘influencing’ Dassault to pick Reliance Defence as its local partner. The party demanded answers from the government on why state-run aerospace major HAL was not involved in the deal. It also alleged that Reliance Defence was formed just 12 days before the announcement of the Refale deal and that Reliance was chosen in a process that lacked transparency.



Absence of Cabinet approval



It alleged that the Modi government announced the deal without the approval from Cabinet Committee on Security. The Congress demanded a probe into the issue.



Parallel parleys



Based on documents from the Ministry of Defence, it was alleged that the Prime Minister’s Office was conducting ‘parallel negotiation’ with French officials on the fighter plane deal.



 



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What is background of the fighter aircraft?



The proposal for procurement of fighter jets was made in 2007 under the Congress-led UPA government. The French aircraft manufacturer, Dassault Aviation, won the contract among other bidders in 2012. The original plan was to purchase 126 planes, including 18 to be manufactured in France and delivered in flyaway condition and the rest (108) to be built in India in collaboration with the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd under transfer of technology.



There were lengthy negotiations between the then UPA government and Dassault on issues of pricing and transfer of technology. The negotitations continued till early 2014, but the deal was not finalised. Meanwhile, India and France faced national elections. A change in government in India delayed the process further.



During his visit to France in 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise announcement that India would purchase 36 Rafale jets (as against the earlier tender for 126) from the French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation. And the deal was sealed in September 2016.



The cost of each Rafale aircraft was later revealed to be Rs. 670 crore. But the Central government did not provide the break-up of the deal, citing security concerns.



 



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What is Rafale aircraft?



Rafale is a twin-engine Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) designed and built by Dassault Aviation, a French firm. The fighter jets are capable of performing a wide range of combat roles.



In September 2016, India and France signed a 7.87 billion (at Rs. 59,000 crore) Inter-governmental Agreement (IGA) for 36 Refale multi-role fighter jets in “flyaway condition” (prepared for immediate flight). The deal also included a 50% offset clause to be executed by Dassault Aviation in partnership with Indian companies. That is, in exchange for landing the contract for the 36 fighter jets, Dassault has to invest half the value of the deal – about Rs.30,000 crores – in Indian firms. The Reliance Defence Limited has been chosen as the offset partner.



As per the IGA, deliveries were to begin 36 months from signing of the contract and Dassault has almost met the deadline.



 



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When was the first Rafale sent to India?



Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to receive the first of the 3 Rafale fighter jets at a ceremony in Paris on October 8. However, the remaining of the first batch of jets will arrive in India only by April-May 2020. Meanwhile, three batches of eight IAF pilots, along with engineers and technicians, will undergo advanced training on the fighter jets in France.



In September 2016, India inked an inter-governmental agreement (IGA) with France for procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of 7.87-billion (approximately Rs 59,000 crore).



Ever since, questions have been raised about the cost agreed on for the aircraft and the choice of Anil Ambani’s firm, the Reliance Defence Ltd (RDL), as the offset partner, over the experienced Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).



While the Congress and other opposition parties alleged massive irregularities in the deal, the BJP-led government, which signed the agreement with France in 2016, denied the allegations. And the Supreme Court gave a clean chit to the Union government in December 2018, saying it did not find any wrongdoing in the defence deal.



 



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I’m a student studying in Std XII. Is it possible for a student who has taken bio-science to go for aviation?



Aviation refers to all activities involving the operation of aircrafts. It mainly deals with the flying operations (pilots), air crew (air hostesses), air traffic management, cargo marketing and management.



For technical jobs like pilot and air traffic management you need to have physics and maths in 10+2, but for air crew you can have 10+2 and preferably graduation in any stream. But in all these fields, a high level of concentration and focus is needed as there is a lot of minute observation and immediate response required.



 



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Air Force after XII?



I am a bit confused about what to choose as a career after Std XII. Presently, I am studying in Std XII with Physics, Chemistry, Maths and Computers as my subjects. The main reason for my confusion is that I don’t want to opt for B.Tech., and want to go into fields related to the air force or navy. I just wanted your advice as to what should I go with as my career after 12th. - Liza.



Dear Liza, If you want to fly high in the sky or dream of being an Air Warrior of the IAF, then you need to clear AFCAT (Air Force Common Admission Test). It is held twice a year. After clearing AFCAT, you can opt for flying/technical/ground duty. Post-graduates can go for the meteorology branch that does not require AFCAT. Candidates should be graduates in their respective fields with Physics and Maths in 10+2.



The Indian Navy recruits girls for the following branches of the Navy as Short Service Commissioned Officers: ATC, Observer, Law, Logistics, Education, Naval Architecture. Both the navy and the air force recruit candidates with graduation.



 



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I have a great passion for flying and I want to become an airline pilot.



I am student of Std XI with PCM. I have a great passion for flying and I want to become an airline pilot. But I’m very tense about my weak eyesight. I wear glasses. What should I do to become a pilot? What are its requirements and which flying schools are the best?



This is one of the biggest misconceptions amongst people. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) says that you can apply if your eyesight is correctable to 20/20 for distance vision through eyeglasses while 20/40for near vision. One only has to carry an extra set of glasses while flying. There are no other restrictions for people with poor eyesight for becoming pilots.



You need to clear a physical fitness test (tough one), apart from an entrance test exam of the flying schools in India. Even after becoming commercial pilots, they need regular medical check-ups as any health problems can cause cancellation of the license of the pilot.



There are many flying schools all over India, but Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA), Rae Bareli (UP) is the only institute for aviation training run by the government. Entry into IGRUA is through an online written test, interview and pilot aptitude test. The training fee at IGRUA is Rs 32.5 lakh, exclusive of hostel and other fees. Many banks can give loans up to 50%.



 



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