In Daily Defence Current Affairs for 20 March 2024, we will see the latest national and international current affairs news. These important current affairs will be beneficial for your upcoming NDA, CDS, CDS OTA, AFCAT, TA, Agniveer Army, Agniveer Navy, Agniveer Air Force, Women Military Police, INET, MNS, ACC exams, SCO, PCSL, CAPF, and SSB interviews, and direct entries for Army, Navy, and Air Force like SSC Tech, TGC, JAG, NCC, TES, 10+2 Cadet. Download a PDF file about current events at the end of this article. Let us now see the Daily Defence Current Affairs.
Defence Current Affairs 20 March 2024
Activation of Emergency Landing Facility On NH 16
- On 18 March 2024, IAF fighter and transport aircraft carried out operations on an Emergency Landing Facility airstrip on National Highway 16 near Addanki in Bapatla district. Su-30 and Hawk fighters successfully carried out overshoots during the activation, while An-32 and Dornier transport aircraft landed and subsequently took off from the strip.
- The activation showcased the high level of synergy and liaison between civil agencies such as National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), district administration, state police and the IAF towards conduct of complex multifaceted activities.
- Previously, such an activation was conducted on 29 December 2022. The 4.1 km long and 33 m wide concrete airstrip has been constructed by the NHAI as per specifications provided by the IAF. While other airstrips are already operational in various parts of the country, this ELF in Andra Pradesh has been recently operationalised in peninsular India.
- ELF highway airstrips enhance flexibility of air operations during contingencies and are invaluable assets during Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations in far flung areas. IAF, with Ministry of Road Transport and Highways are working jointly for creation of ELFs at suitable locations.
Raksha Mantri Trophy for Armed Forces Medical Services
- Raksha Mantri Trophy for the Best and 2nd Best Command Hospitals of the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) for the year 2022 was presented by Director General Armed Forces Medical Services and Senior Colonel Comdt, Army Medical Corps Lt Gen Daljit Singh on 19 Mar 2024 in New Delhi.
- The Command Hospital (Southern Command), Pune and the Command Hospital (Central Command), Lucknow were judged as the Best and Second Best Command Hospital for the year 2022 respectively.
- The DGAFMS, while complimenting the two hospitals on their outstanding performance, acknowledged the commendable services being rendered by the AFMS, ranging from combat medical support to troops deployed in operational roles to state-of-the-art healthcare services at mid-zonal, zonal and tertiary care hospitals of the AFMS.
- The Raksha Mantri Trophy was instituted in 1989 to recognize excellence in healthcare services provided by Armed Forces Hospitals of the AFMS and to foster a spirit of healthy competition among them.
MoU Between Indian Navy And IIT Kharagpur
- Indian Navy and Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, signed a MoU at Naval Headquarters, New Delhi, symbolising their commitment to promote technology development, innovative solutions and joint R&D.
- The strategic collaboration focuses on joint research and development initiatives involving teams from Indian Navy and IIT Kharagpur. The MoU will be co- ordinated by INS Shivaji, Lonavala. This alignment signifies a move towards a symbolic relationship between the Academia and the Military, fostering an environment conducive to innovation and knowledge exchange.
“Putin won’t stop if he is successful in Ukraine”, says Lloyd Austin
- Reaffirming US support for Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia, US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin warned that if Vladimir Putin is successful here, he will not stop there.
- Convening the 20th meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, Austin said that Ukraine will not back down in the face of the Russian invasion of the country, and neither will the United States, the statement from the US Department of Defence (DOD) stated.
- “Russia has paid a staggering cost for Putin’s imperial dreams. At least 315,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded,” he said addressing the event.
- The US Secretary of Defence said that Russia has wasted USD 211 billion, and the war will cost Moscow USD 1.3 trillion.
Indian Army’s Elite Tech Unit Headed By Colonel-rank Officer
- Signals Technology Evaluation and Adaptation Group (STEAG), an elite unit of the Indian Army recently raised in Delhi, is headed by a Colonel-rank officer from the Corps of Signals, with a primary aim to enhance the communication infrastructure of the force, officials on Tuesday said.
- This unit, with a strength of nearly 280 personnel, will undertake research and evaluation of futuristic communication technologies like 6G, artificial intelligence, machine learning and quantum computing for defence applications in view of the changing nature of the field.
- “The primary aim is to enhance the communication infrastructure of the Indian Army,” a senior official said.
- This group will be operational under the Signals Directorate and is based in Delhi. It is headed by a Colonel rank officer of the Army from the Corps of Signals, he said.
Multiple Choice Questions of DCA
- What is the primary aim of Signals Technology Evaluation and Adaptation
Group (STEAG)?
A. Enhance the combat capabilities of the Indian Army
B. Improve the communication infrastructure of the Indian Army
C. Conduct reconnaissance missions in hostile territories
D. Train elite units for special operations
ANSWER: B - Where did the IAF carry out operations on an Emergency Landing Facility (ELF)
airstrip
A. Mumbai
B. Delhi
C. Addanki, Bapatla district
D. Kolkata
ANSWER: C - Which aircraft successfully carried out overshoots during the activation of the ELF airstrip?
A. Su-30 and Hawk fighters
B. An-32 and Dornier transport aircraft
C. Mirage 2000 and Jaguar fighters
D. Tejas and MiG-21 fighters
ANSWER: A - What does the MoU between the Indian Navy and IIT Kharagpur signify?
A. Commitment to promote technology development and joint R&D
B. Collaboration for maritime security operations
C. Establishment of a new naval base in Kharagpur
D. Training programs for naval officers at IIT Kharagpur
ANSWER: A - ZEUS Is A
A. Missile
B. All Terrain – Track-Based Robot
C. Tank
D. UAV
ANSWER: B - Ex ‘SHAKTI’ Conducted b/w India &
A. Qatar
B. France
C. UAE
D. Israel
ANSWER: B - From which country is India’s Defence Ministry planning to purchase MQ-9B
armed drones?
A. UAE
B. USA
C. Uganda
D. Ukraine
ANSWER: B - Maritime Partnership Exercise B/w India & South Korea Held At
A. Nava Sheva Port
B. Busan Port
C. Chennai Port
D. Kandla Port
ANSWER: B - AMCA Stands For
A. Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft
B. Advanced Medium Cooperation Aircraft
C. Advanced Media Combat Aircraft
D. None of the above
ANSWER: A - Operation Safed Sagar Was Launched In
A. 1997
B. 1998
C. 1999
D. 2000
ANSWER: C - SCALP Missile Is Developed By
A. UK
B. France
C. Israel
D. USA
ANSWER: B - Range of Sagarika Missile Is
A. 500 km
B. 600 km
C. 700 km
D. None of the above
ANSWER: C - India Purchased Jaguar Fighter Aircraft from
A. USA
B. Sweden
C. France
D. None of the above
ANSWER: C - At Which Of The Following Places Is The Headquarters Of A Naval Command
NOT Located?
A. Mumbai
B. Goa
C. Kochi
D. Visakhapatnam
ANSWER: B - Hq Of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Is At
A. USA
B. Sweden
C. France
D. Austria
ANSWER: D - Lusaka Is The Capital Of
A. Zambia
B. Venezuela
C. United Kingdom
D. Uganda
ANSWER: A - “’My Life, My Mission'” Book Is Written By
A. Baba Ramdev
B. Venkaiah Naidu
C. Meenakshi Lekhi
D. Dr. Bibek Debroy
ANSWER: A - Rashtriya Raksha University Is In
A. Gandhinagar
B. Mumbai
C. New Delhi
D. Chennai
ANSWER: A - The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Is A Project Of
A. Brazil
B. Russia
C. China
D. None of the above
ANSWER: C - Which Is Not A Member Of SAARC?
A. Afghanistan
B. Bangladesh
C. Bhutan
D. Madagascar
ANSWER: D
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