Monthly Defence Current Affairs August 2023

In the Monthly Defence current affairs for August 2023, 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.

Monthly Defence Current Affairs August 2023

Indian Army Implements Common Uniform For Brigadier And Above Ranks 

• The Indian Army has implemented a new common uniform regulation for senior officers with Brigadier and above ranks irrespective of the parent cadre and initial appointment, Army officials said.
• They said the move will reinforce common identity and Indian Army’s character as a fair and equitable organisation. The decision was taken after detailed deliberations during the recently-concluded Army Commanders Conference and extensive consultations with all stakeholders.
• Officials said that headgear, shoulder rank badges, gorget patches, belt and shoes of senior officers of flag rank (Brigadier and above) will now be common and standardised. The flag-rank officers will now not wear any lanyard.
• The step has been taken to promote and strengthen common identity and approach in service matters amongst senior leadership beyond the boundaries of regiments, officials said.
• Brigadier and above officers are those who have already commanded units and battalions and are mostly posted at headquarters or establishments where officers from all arms and services work and function together.
• A standard uniform will ensure a common identity for all senior-rank officers and reflect the true ethos of the Indian Army, officials said.
• There is no change in the uniform worn by Colonels and officers below that rank, Army officials said.

Israel Approves USD 344 Million Sale Of ‘David’s Sling’ Defense System To Finland 

• Israel’s Ministry of Defense revealed that the US Government approved the sale by Israel of the country’s “David’s Sling” anti-missile defence system to Finland.
• Israeli defence contractor that develops the system – will participate in a ceremony to sign a procurement agreement worth approximately 316 million Euros (USD 344 million).
• The IDF says David’s Sling system is capable of intercepting missiles fired towards Israel by enemy countries such as Iran and Syria.

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MoU BETWEEN SMSES AND AIFF  

• For the first time ever, Subroto Mukerjee Sports Education Society (SMSES) has collaborated with All India Football Federation (AIFF) to promote football at grass root level.  As part of this MoU, from this edition onwards, a Subroto XI team will be formed in Junior Boys (U-17) category.
• The team will participate in AIFF Youth Competition from the 2023-24 season.  Further, clubs from ISL, I-League and IWL will pick up players from Subroto Cup to represent their teams.
• Subroto Mukerjee Sports Education Society (SMSES) conducts the prestigious Subroto Cup International Football Tournament annually since 1960, under the aegis of Air Force Sports Control Board.
• This is a unique football tournament wherein school teams from all states starting from grass-root level vie for top honours in football in the country in three categories viz, Sub-junior Boys (U-14), Junior Boys (U-17) and Junior Girls (U-17).

China-Funded Naval Base In Cambodia  

• China’s next overseas military base could be in Cambodia, in India’s extended neighbourhood, throwing a challenge to New Delhi’s strategic outreach to Southeast Asia.
• The base, which has been in the making for a few years, has been under scrutiny.
• UK-based leading think-tank Chatham House in a report published last week referred to satellite images and claimed, “dramatic transformation of the Cambodian naval base, near Sihanoukville on the Gulf of Thailand”.
• The development of the Ream Naval Base touches upon the number one priority outlined in the Cambodian government’s 2022 National Defense Policy: border defense. In the wake of the 2008-2011 Preah Vihear conflict with Thailand, the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces have been engaged in wide-ranging military reforms for the purpose of protecting Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Immediately after armed clashes with Thailand in 2008, the Cambodian government announced the doubling of its military budget.

Israel Approves USD 344 Million Sale Of ‘David’s Sling’ Defense System To Finland 

• Israel’s Ministry of Defense revealed that the US Government approved the sale by Israel of the country’s “David’s Sling” anti-missile defence system to Finland.
• Israeli defence contractor that develops the system – will participate in a ceremony to sign a procurement agreement worth approximately 316 million Euros (USD 344 million).
• The IDF says David’s Sling system is capable of intercepting missiles fired towards Israel by enemy countries such as Iran and Syria.
• It can protect any country that uses it against large-calibre rockets, short-range ballistic missiles, and other developing threats. It’s scheduled to be operational in two weeks.
• Unlike, the mobile Iron Dome, David’s Sling is stationary and can protect the entirety of Israel from its permanent location, explains the IDF.
• Rafael boasts that David’s Sling’s “advanced, multi-mission interceptor,” also known as the Stunner or the SkyCeptor, a joint endeavour of Rafael & Raytheon, two leaders in advanced weapons system development, offers interceptor as lethal, flexible and affordable hit-to-kill to defeat mass raids of threats.

IAF Receives Israeli Spike NLOS Anti-Tank Missiles  

• IAF has received Israeli Spike NLOS (Non-Line of Sight) anti-tank guided missiles, which can reach targets from distances of up to 30 km, to improve its ability to destroy enemy targets hidden behind mountains.
• According to defence officials, the Israeli Spike NLOS anti-tank guided missiles have been delivered and trials will begin soon.
• The NLOS missiles will now be combined with the Russian-origin fleet of Mi-17V5 helicopters, which can take out targets from long distances and be particularly efficient against enemy objectives and assets hidden behind mountains or hills, according to the sources.
• Spike is an Israeli fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile and anti-personnel missile with a tandem-charge high-explosive anti-tank warhead. As of 2007, it is in its fourth generation. It was developed and designed by the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.

BDL Hands Over First RF Seeker Of ‘Akash’ to DRDO 

• Bharat Dynamics Limited handed over the first Radio Frequency (RF) Seeker of Akash, a next generation weapon system produced at its newly commissioned state-of-the-art Seeker Facility Centre, to the DRDO.
• Seeker is a critical and technology intensive subsystem used in Surface-to-Air Missiles and Air-to-Air Missiles for target tracking in the terminal phase.
• The RF Seeker has been designed by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad and produced by BDL at its state-of-the-art Seeker Facility Centre set up at BDL, Kanchanbagh Unit in Hyderabad.
• In a special ceremony held at BDL’s Kanchanbagh Unit, BDL Chairman and Managing Director, Commodore A. Madhavarao (retd.) handed over the 1st RF Seeker manufactured by BDL at this facility to DRDO Chairman and Secretary, Department of Defence Research & Development, Dr Samir V Kamat.
• Designed: 2021
• Engine: Dual-pulse solid rocket motor
• Flight altitude: 0.030–14 km
• Guidance system: Mid-course: Inertial navigation system with two-way datalink; Terminal: Active radar homing
• In service: 2023 (planned), Operational range: 70–80 km

MiG-29 Fleet To Undergo 2^nd Life Extension Programme      

• IAF has devised a bold plan to extend the operating life of its fleet of frontline MiG-29 fighter jets. The 2^nd life extension scheme intends to push out the retirement of these fearsome aircraft from 2027 to 2037, which was previously scheduled.
• This extension essentially keeps the fleet operating for approximately 50 years, demonstrating the IAF’s dedication to optimising existing assets and strengthening air defence capabilities.
• The MiG-29 fighter jets were initially introduced into the IAF in 1986, and they played an important part in bolstering India’s aerial capabilities. India purchased these legendary fighter planes from the Soviet Union as one of the first export customers.

Indian Navy Issues RFI For 12 Minesweepers After Long-Awaited Delay  

• The Indian Navy released a Request for Information for the procurement of 12 state-of-the-art Counter Mine Warfare Vessels on Aug 3. The long-awaited RFI signals India’s renewed efforts to enhance its mine-warfare capabilities after several failed attempts over the past 15 years.
• The RFI outlines the requirements for the 12 MCMVs, which are set to be constructed over an eight-year period. The order will be split between the lowest and second-lowest bidding shipyards. The proposed delivery timeline for the MCMVs ranges from 2030 to 2037.
• The Indian Navy currently operates without a single minesweeper, and the last of its fleet of six minesweepers, acquired from the Soviet Union in the late 1970s, was decommissioned four years ago. The absence of dedicated mine-countermeasure vessels has left a significant gap in India’s naval fleet, prompting the urgent need for modern and advanced MCMVs.
• The centrepiece of these vessels is said to lie in their armament and “cutting-edge” technologies, which will be tailored to tackle a range of threats in both anti-submarine warfare and naval mine countermeasures (NCM) domains, as per the RFI.

BEL Developed Lighter Version Weapon Locating Radar

• The lighter and compact version of Weapon Locating Radar, known as SWATHI Mountains, developed indigenously by Navratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) along with LRDE, DRDO, has been inducted into the Indian Army.
• Lt Gen. J B Chaudhari, Dy. Chief of Army Staff (CD&S) flagged off the state-of-the-art RADAR system designed for use in mountainous and high-altitude terrains in Agra, in the presence of Mr. Manoj Kumar, Executive Director, and Mr. Rajnish Sharma, General Manager (Military Radars SBU), BEL.
• The induction of SWATHI Mountains into the Indian Army’s arsenal will bolster the Army’s battlefield surveillance and transparency capabilities and give a boost to the Make in India and Atmanirbharbharat initiatives.
• Range            Artillery → 2-30 km
• Rockets → 4-80 km
• Mortars → 2-20 km
• Azimuth: +/- 45° Electronic scan
• Elevation: -5 to 75°
• Power : 40 kW

Dhaksha Unmanned Systems wins order from Army           

• Agri solutions provider Coromandel International’s subsidiary and drone manufacturer Dhaksha Unmanned Systems on Monday announced it has secured a supply order for 200 medium-altitude logistics drones and accessories from the Indian Army.
• This order comes on the back of a recent contract for the supply of 400 agri-spraying drones from IFFCO, Dhaksha Unmanned Systems said in a statement.
• These two orders are planned to be delivered over the next 12 months, the company said, adding it also has a strong order pipeline which will further increase the potential revenues for the current year.

Rajya Sabha Passes ISO (Command, Control & Discipline) Bill – 2023  

• The Rajya Sabha, on August 08, 2023, passed the Inter-Services Organisation (Command, Control & Discipline) Bill – 2023. It was passed by the Lok Sabha on August 04, 2023.
• The bill seeks to empower Commander-in-Chief and Officer-in Command of ISOs with all disciplinary and administrative powers in respect of the personnel serving in or attached to such organisations.
• Salient Features
• The ‘ISO Bill – 2023’ shall be applicable to all personnel of regular Army, Navy, and Air force, and to persons of other forces as notified by the Central Government, who are serving in or attached to an Inter-Services Organisation.
• Bill empowers the Commander-in-Chief, Officer-in-Command or any other officer specially empowered in this behalf by the Central Government with all the disciplinary and administrative powers in respect of personnel serving in or attached to their ISO for the maintenance of discipline and proper discharge of their duties, irrespective of the service.
• The Commander-in-Chief or the Officer-in-Command means General Officer/Flag Officer/Air Officer who has been appointed as Commander-in-Chief of Officer-in-Command an Inter-Services Organisation.
• To maintain Command and Control in absence of the Commander-in-Chief or the Officer-in-Command, the officiating incumbent or the officer on whom the command develops in absence of a C-in-C or Oi/C, will also be empowered to initiate all disciplinary or administrative actions overs the service personnel, appointed, deputed, posted or attached to an Inter-Services organisation.
• The Bill also empowers the Commanding Officer of an Inter-Services organisation to initiate all disciplinary or administrative actions over the personnel appointed, deputed, posted or attached to that Inter-Services Organisation. For the purpose of this Act, Commanding Officer means the officer in actual command of the unit, ship or establishment.

Dhaksha Unmanned Systems Wins Order From Army For 200 Drones             

• Agri solutions provider Coromandel International’s subsidiary and drone manufacturer DUS on announced it has secured a supply order for 200 medium-altitude logistics drones and accessories from the Indian Army.
• Dhaksha Unmanned Systems, an arm of Coromandel International, has bagged two orders for 600 drones with an aggregate value of ₹165 crore.
• It also won a contract for 400 drones from the agri inputs cooperative IFFCO for the supply of input-spraying drones.

Exercise ‘Zayed Talwar’    

• INS Visakhapatnam and INS Trikand under the command of Rear Admiral Vineet McCarty, Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet arrived at Port Rashid in Dubai to conduct bilateral exercise ‘Zayed Talwar’ to enhance interoperability and synergy between the two navies.
• They will further share best practices to enhance cooperation and strengthen ties between the two navies.
• India and the UAE established diplomatic relations in 1972 and UAE opened its Embassy in Delhi in 1972 whereas, India opened its Embassy in Abu Dhabi in 1973, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
• The traditionally strong bilateral relations enjoyed by India and UAE received impetus with the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to UAE on August 16-17, 2015, which marked the beginning of a new strategic partnership between the two countries.
• Bilateral Defence Interaction between India and UAE has been steadily growing in accordance with other aspects of the bilateral relationship.
• There have been regular high-level & functional level exchanges between the two countries. The ships of the navies of both countries have regularly made port calls to enhance bilateral defence cooperation.

Maya OS, The Indigenous Windows Replacement For India’s Defence Systems           

• Defence Ministry has announced a major overhaul of its cybersecurity system: it will replace Windows in all its internet-connected computers with a new OS called Maya. This is a response to the growing threat of malware & ransomware attacks, which have become more frequent and severe in recent times.
• Maya OS is a new operating system that is based on Ubuntu, a popular Linux distribution that uses free and open-source software. The Defence Ministry has developed Maya OS with the help of various government agencies, including the DRDO, the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), and the National Informatics Centre (NIC).
• Ubuntu is one of the most widely used Linux distributions in the world and it is known for its high level of security. Unlike Windows, which has a large number of malware and vulnerabilities due to running more services and its backwards compatibility, Ubuntu has very few malware and exploits.
• The idea of Maya OS was conceived in 2021 after India faced several cyberattacks from foreign actors that targeted its critical infrastructure and defence systems. The Defence Ministry decided to create its own operating system that would be more secure and reliable than Microsoft Windows.

India Inducts New Strike-capable Drones At Forward Air Base              

• In a mega capability boost, the Indian Air Force has inducted its latest Heron Mark 2 drones, which have strike capability and can carry out surveillance along the borders with both China and Pakistan in a single sortie itself.
• The four new Heron Mark-2 drones, which can be equipped with long-range missiles and other weapons systems, have been deployed at a forward air base in the northern sector, where Team witnessed their operations.
• The drones with satellite communication capability have given a long-desired capability to the IAF, as its drones can operate at very long distances for close to 36 hours at a stretch and can also laser illuminate enemy targets from very long ranges to help fighter aircraft destroy them using their long-range weapons.

Sixth Project 17A Frigate To Be Launched By President Murmu on August 17        

• Vindhyagiri, a Project 17A Frigate, will be launched by President Droupadi Murmu at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited in Kolkata.
• Vindhyagiri, named after the mountain range in Karnataka, is the sixth ship of the Project 17A Frigates. These warships are follow-ons of the Project 17 Class Frigates (Shivalik Class), with improved stealth features, advanced weapons and sensors and platform management systems.
• Under the Project 17A program, a total of four ships by M/s MDL and three ships by M/s GRSE are under construction. The project’s first five ships have been launched by MDL and GRSE, between 2019-2022.

India’s First Long-range Revolver “Prabal”                

• India’s debut long-range revolver, “Prabal,” is poised for launch on August 18. The revolver is manufactured by the state-owned enterprise Advanced Weapons and Equipment India based in Kanpur. Distinguished by its .32 bore, the Prabal revolver boasts an impressive firing range of up to 50 meters, more than twice the reach of other revolvers in India.
• A noteworthy feature of Prabal is its side swing cylinder, marking a significant advancement in revolver design. AWEIL Director AK Maurya emphasized its key attributes, stating, “The Prabal revolver is light in weight and equipped with a side swing cylinder.”
• The prevailing market revolvers have a limited range of only up to 20 meters. In contrast, Prabal excels with a range of 50 meters.
• Weighing merely 700 grams (excluding cartridges), it boasts a barrel length of 76 mm and an overall length of 177.6 mm. Its user-friendly trigger pull enhances its appeal.

IAF To Host Mega Multilateral Air Exercise Next Year                 

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) will host a mega multilateral military exercise next year that was originally planned for October.
• The exercise, ‘Tarang Shakti‘, is likely to be held in the middle of 2024 as a number of participating air forces conveyed to the IAF that they will not be able to join the wargame if it is held this year, sources in the defence and military establishment.
• The exercise is expected to witness participation of around 12 air forces and the focus of the wargame will be to improve military cooperation and enhance interoperability, they said.
• It is learnt that air forces of France, the UK, Australia, the US and Japan would participate in the exercise.
• Six countries will participate in the Tarang Shakti with their aerial assets like fighter jets, military transport aircraft and mid-air refuellers while six other nations were invited as observers, the sources said.

Government Clears Rs 20,000 Cr Deal To Build Five Warships For Indian Navy        

• The government has cleared a Rs 20,000 crore deal to manufacture fleet support vessels (FSVs) which are urgently required by the Indian Navy.
• Vizag-based Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) will manufacture five of the 45,000-tonne warships, the largest ship of its class being built at the defence ministry-owned yard.
• The ships are needed to support warships on long range patrol and can carry a variety of equipment, such as fuel, ammunition and food supplies. They will be able to support ships of all classes, including the two Indian aircraft carriers.
• The navy has a variety of new ships that are being planned, including next generation missile vessels and counter mine vessels. Three additional Scorpene class submarines are also expected to be ordered shortly.
• The order will come as a boost for HSL, which has been struggling with getting orders from the government. The yard has delivered a missile tracking vessel and has carried out refit and upgrades of Kilo class submarines.

President Droupadi Murmu Inaugurates Advanced Naval Stealth Frigate ‘Vindhyagiri’                   

• President Droupadi Murmu arrived in Kolkata to inaugurate an advanced stealth frigate for the Indian Navy. President Murmu launched the ship at the dock on the banks of the river Hooghly.
• She also said that the production of the advanced frigate was a symbol of Atmanirbhar Bharat and of technological advancement made by the country.
• “The launch is a symbol of self reliance in ship building,” the President said adding that projects like this reflects India’s “commitment to self reliance and technological advancement”.
• This frigate marks the sixth vessel out of seven that are part of ‘Project 17 Alpha‘ aimed at strengthening the Navy’s fleet. Notably, the first five ships of the project were introduced between 2019 and 2022.
• Nearly 75% of the orders, especially for equipment and systems for the P17A ships have come from domestic defence firms, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
• These guided missile frigates, known as P17A ships, boast impressive specifications, with a length of 149 meters, displacement of approximately 6,670 tonnes, and a top speed of 28 knots. Importantly, they are designed to address threats across air, surface, and sub-surface domains.

Carborundum Universal, Idea Forge To Jointly Develop Nanomaterial Reinforced Products          

• Carborundum Universal Ltd, engaged in manufacturing of abrasives and industrial-ceramics, has collaborated with drone maker IdeaForge Technology to jointly develop products to make drones lighter, stronger and more durable, the companies said.
• The two companies will develop the drones through cutting-edge nanomaterial reinforced composite parts which hold the promise of transforming structural parts for aerospace applications, a joint press release said.
• “The use of nanomaterial reinforced composites in drones offer several exciting possibilities such as higher specific modulus or strength and is likely to shape the future of airframe and related structural components of drones,” IdeaForge Technology Senior Director of Engineering Sunil Jha said.

Maiden flight of LCA Navy Trainer Prototype aircraft Successfully Conducted                     

• The maiden flight of the LCA Naval Trainer Prototype ‘NP5’ was successfully conducted on Friday, Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) said.
• The maiden flight was conducted from HAL airport, and the aircraft was captained by Capt Amit Kawade (IN) with Wg Cdr Siddarth Singh (Retd) in the rear cockpit, ADA said in a release.
• The aircraft took off at 14:20 hrs and was airborne for 57 minutes with all parameters normal, it said.
• Addition of NP5 aircraft to LCA Navy prototype fleet will help to accelerate flight testing activities which will provide designers vital inputs towards design and development of the Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF), the prestigious futuristic carrier aircraft programme of the country.

India Building World’s Highest Road, Tunnel, Fighter Jet Base In Eastern Ladakh  

• India is building the world’s highest tunnel, motorable road and fighter aircraft base in Eastern Ladakh as part of the government’s push towards strengthening infrastructure for both military and civilian use.
• BRO chief Lt General Rajeev Chaudhry said that the force is going to break its own record of building the highest road at Umlong La Pass two years back and now it will be surpassed in the next two working seasons with the Mig La-Fukche road coming up.
• On August 15, BRO started a road connecting Likru, Mig-La and Phukche at a height of 19400 feet. This will help in the deployment of troops at the earliest if any critical situation arises.
• The BRO Chief said that the military’s road construction organisation will also be starting with the Shinku La tunnel connecting Manali through Zanskar to Leh which will be the highest and will break the record of the MiLa tunnel situated in China.

Launch Of Second MCA BARGE, YARD 76               

• 2^nd Missile Cum Ammunition (MCA) Barge, Yard 76 (LSAM 8) was launched by Cmde G Ravi, Warship Production Superintendent (Visakhapatnam) on 18 Aug 23 at Guttenadeevi, East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh (launch site of M/s SECON Engineering Projects Pvt Ltd).
• 2^nd Missile Cum Ammunition (MCA) Barge, Yard 76 (LSAM 8) was launched by Cmde G Ravi, Warship Production Superintendent (Visakhapatnam) on 18 Aug 23 at Guttenadeevi, East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh (launch site of M/s SECON Engineering Projects Pvt Ltd).
• With all major and auxiliary equipment/systems sourced from indigenous manufacturers, this Barge is proud flag bearer of “Make in India” initiative of Ministry of Defence.
• Contract for construction of 08 x MCA Barge was concluded with M/s SECON Engineering Projects Pvt Ltd, Visakhapatnam, a MSME, in consonance with “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiatives of the Government of India.
• This Barge is being built with a service life of 30 years. The availability of MCA Barges will provide impetus to Operational commitments of IN by facilitating Transportation, Embarkation and Disembarkation of articles / ammunition to IN Ships both alongside jetties and at outer harbours.

Malabar Naval Exercise Concludes                       

• The 11-day Malabar naval exercise featuring the navies of India, Australia, Japan and the US concluded on Monday. The 27^th edition of the exercise, which took place on the East Coast of Australia, witnessed complex and high intensity drills in air, surface and undersea domains, officials said.
• Warships, submarines and aircraft from the Indian Navy, Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Japan Maritime Self Defence Force and the US Navy participated in the exercise.
• The Indian Navy was represented by indigenously built destroyer INS Kolkata, frigate INS Sahyadri and P8I maritime patrol aircraft.

IAF Conducts Trials Of Heavy Drop System For Defence Forces                  

• The Indian Air Force recently conducted successful trials of the Heavy Drop System, from a cargo aircraft, IAF officials said on Saturday. According to officials, the Heavy Drop system is designed and developed by a laboratory of the DRDO.
• “The trial of the system has been completed in partnership with Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment towards achieving self-reliance in the military sector,” IAF officials said.
• Heavy drop systems are used by para-dropping vehicles or heavy loads during operations along with troops in forward areas.
• The DRDO lab based out of Agra is tasked to develop such systems for the defence forces.

Tejas Successfully Fires BVRAM    

• In a major milestone, indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft Tejas successfully fired Astra air-to-air beyond visual range (BVR) missile off the coast of Goa.
• The missile release was successfully carried out from the aircraft at an altitude of about 20,000 ft and all the objectives of the test were met and it was a perfect textbook launch, the Ministry of Defence said.
• The test launch was monitored by the Test Director and scientists of the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), DRDO, HAL along with officials from the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) and Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DG-AQA).

Modi Government Sets Up High Power Committee To Review DRDO                    

• Under directions of PM Narendra Modi and with a view to overhaul the DRDO, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has set up a nine-member committee of experts under Prof K Vijay Raghavan to review and redefine the role of the department and submit a report within three months.
• Prof Vijay Raghavan is former Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India and one of the key architects of the National Research Foundation (NRF).
• The other members of the DRDO review committee are Lt Gen (Retd) Subrata Saha, former Deputy Chief of Army Staff, Vice Admiral S N Ghormade, former Vice Chief of Navy Staff, Air Marshal B R Krishna, former Chief of Integrated Staff, Sujan R Chinoy, DG of MP-IDSA, Prof Manindra Agarwal of IIT Kanpur, S.P. Shukla, President SIDM, J D Patil of L&T, Defence & others.

Air Force Set To Order 100 More Indigenous LCA Mk1A Fighter Jets  

• In a major show of confidence for the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), the air force is set to order an additional 100 of the Mk 1A variant of the fighter jet, with the order value likely to be around $8 billion.
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) has already placed an order for 83 LCA Mk1A fighter jets, the first of which is to be delivered by early next year.
• The officials further added that the proposals for the projects have been submitted to the Defence Ministry and clearance for the order is expected in the near future.
• As many as 300 Tejas Mark-1A fighter jets are going to be inducted into the Indian Air Force in the next few years.

MoD inks Rs 19,000 crore contract with HSL for 5 Fleet Support Ships                                

• The defence ministry on Friday sealed a Rs 19,000 crore deal with Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL) for acquisition of five fleet support ships for the Indian Navy. The ships of 44,000 tons category will be the first of its kind to be built in India by an Indian shipyard, officials said.
• The ministry said the project would be a major boost towards achieving the goal of self-reliance in defence manufacturing as the ships will be indigenously designed and constructed by HSL, Visakhapatnam.
• The Cabinet Committee on Security had approved the acquisition of the ships in its meeting on August 16.
• The fleet support ships will be deployed for replenishing ships at sea with fuel, water, ammunition and stores, enabling the Indian Naval fleet to operate for prolonged periods without returning to harbour.

Defence Secretary Lays Keel Of Four Fast Patrol Vessels for ICG                                     

• Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane laid the keel of four Coast Guard Fast Patrol vessels (FPVs) on 25th August 2023 at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL). Speaking on the occasion, the Defence Secretary applauded the efforts of Goa Shipyard in achieving this milestone, especially the scale of indigenization in collaboration with the Indian industry.
• The  FPV designed by GSL is a medium range weapon fitted surface vessel with  length of 51.43 mtrs, and breadth 8 mtrs. The ship is propelled with twin engine and has   maximum speed of 27 Knots. Displacement of the vessel is approx. 320 Tons, and it is capable of operating in rough sea conditions.

INDIAN AIR FORCE IN EXERCISE BRIGHT STAR-23                                   

• An Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent departed today, for participating in Exercise BRIGHT STAR-23 a biennial multilateral tri-service exercise scheduled to be held at Cairo (West) Air Base, Egypt from 27 August to 16 September 2023.
• This is for the first time that IAF is participating in Ex BRIGHT STAR-23 which will also see participation of contingents from the United States of America, Saudi Arabia, Greece and Qatar. The Indian Air Force contingent will consist of five MiG-29, two IL-78, two C-130 and two C-17 aircraft.
• Personnel from the IAF’s Garud Special Forces, as well as those from the Numbers 28, 77, 78 and 81 Squadrons will be participating in the exercise. The IAF transport aircraft will also provide airlift to approximately 150 personnel from the Indian Army.
• The objective of the exercise is to practice planning and execution of joint operations. Besides leading to the formation of bonding across borders, such interactions also provide a means to further strategic relations between participating nations. IAF contingents to flying exercises abroad are thus no less than Diplomats in Flight Suits.
• India and Egypt have had exceptional relationship and deep cooperation wherein the two jointly undertook development of aero-engine and aircraft in 1960s and training of Egyptian pilots was done by Indian counterparts.

Defence Ministry Acceptance of Necessity Worth 7800 Crore                  

• Defence Acquisition Council on accorded Acceptance of Necessity for capital acquisition proposals worth approximately Rs 7,800 cr, including Electronic Warfare (EW) Suite for the IAF’s Mi-17 V5 helicopters, weapons for the Navy’s MH-60R helicopters, as well as for LMG and ground-based autonomous systems.
• The DAC, which is headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, is among the top bodies for clearing major capital acquisitions for defence. AoN is the first step in the long defence procurement process. Grant of an AoN does not necessarily lead to a final order.
• As per a statement issued by the Defence Ministry, the installation of EW Suite on Mi-17 V5 helicopters will enhance their survivability. They will be procured from BEL — a PSU under the Defence Ministry. The statement added that the DAC has also cleared procurement of weapons for the Navy’s MH-60R Helicopters to enhance their operational capability.
• The DAC also cleared procurement of Ground-Based Autonomous System for mechanised infantry and armoured regiments to enable various operations like unmanned surveillance, logistic delivery of ammunition, fuel and spares and casualty evacuation in the battlefield.
• Other procurement proposals which got the DAC nod were those of 7.62×51 mm Light Machine Guns (LMG) and Bridge Laying Tanks (BLT).
• “Ruggedised” laptops and tablets for the Army under Project Shakti will also be procured from indigenous vendors.

PM Modi Congratulates Neeraj Chopra On Winning Gold In World Athletics C’ships 

• PM Narendra Modi on Monday hailed India’s javelin ace Neeraj Chopra after he clinched his and the country’s first gold medal in the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest.
• Neeraj recorded his best throw of 88.17 metres in his second attempt and managed to hold his lead till the very end.
• Arshad Nadeem, the Commonwealth Games champion, settled for silver with a throw of 87.82 metres. Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic secured the bronze with his best throw of 86.67 m.
• Kishore Jena (best of 84.77 m) finished fifth while DP Manu (best of 84.14 m) finished sixth.

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