Former Maharashtra DG Jaiswal is New CISF chief
- Subodh Kumar Jaiswal took over as the 28th Director General of the CISF.
- He is a 1985 batch Indian Police Service officer and was previously the Director General of Police of Maharashtra. Before that, he was the police commissioner of Mumbai.
- 58-year-old Jaiswal, who was heading the Maharashtra Police since February 28, 2019, was appointed as the director general (DG) of the about 1.62 lakh personnel strong CISF by the central government last month.
- Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) DG Kumar Rajesh Chandra was handling the additional charge of the CISF after incumbent Rajesh Ranjan retired on November 30 last year.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards unveil underground missile base in Gulf
- It was unveiled at an undisclosed Gulf location on Friday at a time of heightened tension between Tehran and the United States.
- “These missiles have ranges of hundreds of kilometres, enjoy pinpoint accuracy and huge destructive power, and can overcome the enemy’s electronic warfare equipment,” Hossein Salami, the commander-in-chief of IRGC said.
- These missiles have ranges of hundreds of kilometres, enjoy pinpoint accuracy and huge destructive power, and can overcome the enemy’s electronic warfare equipment.
- There have been periodic confrontations in the Gulf in recent years between the Guards and the U.S. military, which has accused the Guards’ navy of sending fast attack boats to harass U.S. warships as they pass the Strait of Hormuz.
US Army’s M1 Abrams Tanks now fully loaded with Trophy Active Protection System (APS)
- Under contracts awarded on an urgent basis by the Army’s Program Executive Office for Ground Combat Systems for both Army and the Marine Corps, a joint team of Israeli and American experts worked to integrate the system on the M1 Abrams for both the services.
- Trophy is a military active protection system designed to protect vehicles from ATGMs, RPGs, anti-tank rockets, and tank HEAT rounds.
- A small number of explosively formed projectiles destroy incoming threats before they hit the vehicle.
- An Active Protection System (APS) is a countermeasure designed for the protection of friendly vehicles from hostile anti-tank guided missiles or rockets by hard-kill (destroying the incoming rocket/missile) or soft-kill (jamming its electronics so it does not home into the vehicle) methods.
- This system has been deemed ‘very essential’ in modern battlefield scenarios, where tanks and armoured vehicles could be extremely vulnerable.
Solid rocket propulsion stage demonstrator ‘Kalam-5’ testing under way at Solar Group’s testing facility
- Solid rocket propulsion stage demonstrator ‘Kalam-5’ which is going to be used in India’s first-ever privately designed and developed rocket ‘Vikram-1’, has been successfully test-fired by Solar Group’s Economic Explosives Limited (EEL) and Skyroot Aerospace in the Solar Group’s Rocket testing facility in Nagpur recently.
- It is the first of the five Kalam engines that Skyroot Aerospace plans to test. “Under the leadership of Satyanarayan Nuwal, Chairman Solar Group, and Manish Nuwal, CEO and MD, Solar Group, we have entered into the business of the Propulsion system for space and defence application, which is synergistic with current business of commercial explosives and ammunition.
- Skyroot Aerospace India Ltd – a Hyderabad-based Space Start-Up for manufacturing of propulsion system of Space Launch Vehicles
Pakistan test fires indigenously developed rocket system
- On 7th January 2021, Pakistan conducted the test-flight of an indigenously developed Guided Multi Launch Rocket System capable of delivering conventional warheads, with a maximum range of 140 km. This system will give Pakistan Army capability of precision target engagement.
- The flight test by participating troops and scientists was appreciated by the country’s President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and COAS.
- Last year, Pakistan conducted tests of its Ra’ad-II cruise missile and Ghaznavi surface-to-surface ballistic missile.
- The country’s inventory also has Ghauri and Shaheen series of medium-range ballistic missiles, as well as battlefield range missiles.
India draws up nations’ list for Akash & Brahmos export
- There are nine countries, in turn, which have shown interest in the indigenously-developed Akash missile systems, which can intercept hostile aircraft, helicopters, drones and subsonic cruise missiles at a range of 25-km.
- They are Kenya, Philippines, Indonesia, UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Vietnam and Algeria.
- The second country on the list is Indonesia, while Vietnam, UAE, Saudi Arabia and South Africa have also shown an interest in acquiring the 290-km range BrahMos, which has emerged as the “precision-strike weapon of choice” for Indian armed forces.
Israel and India test MRSAM air defence system
- MRSAM was jointly developed by IAI and DRDO over the last several years, and they tested the system in India during the last week of December.
- In April 2017, IAI and India signed a $1.6 billion contract for the MRSAM system for India’s ground forces.
- The development involved several Indian companies such as Bharat Electronics Limited, Larsen & Toubro, and Bharat Dynamics Limited as well as Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defence Systems.
- MRSAM Air and Missile Defence System is a cutting-edge innovative system, that once again has proven its advanced capabilities against a variety of threats.
- Every trial in an air defence system is a complex operational event and the COVID-19 limitations significantly increase the complexity.
India to chair UNSC’s crucial Taliban and Libya Sanctions Committees Panel on Counterterrorism
- India will head three key panels in UNSC after it assumed a two-year-long non-permanent membership at the body on January 1, 2021.
- The panels include the Taliban Sanctions Committee, the Counter-terrorism Committee for the Year 2022 and the Libya Sanctions Committee.
- By heading the Taliban sanctions committee, India will get a greater say in the Afghan peace process.
- India has deep interests in Afghanistan, and this was articulated in Delhi by the MEA. India began its eighth term as a non-permanent member of the UNSC.
Rajnath Singh launches Online Portal for Items to be Purchased Against Firm Demand from CSD
- The objective of the launch of this Online Portal is to enable about 45 Lakh CSD beneficiaries including Serving & Retired persons from Armed Forces and Serving Civilian Defence employees to purchase AFD-I items from the comfort of their home.
- The ceremony was held at New Delhi. Live streaming of delivery of cars/ motorcycles was done from Mumbai, New Delhi, Ahmedabad and Jaipur for those who booked them during the trial run of the portal afd.csdindia.gov.in, which has been formally launched now and will facilitate faster and hassle-free experience to all the beneficiaries.
- Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria and Defence Secretary Dr. Ajay Kumar along with other dignitaries attended the function.
QUICK REVIEW
- Who is appointed as the new CISF chief?
- Rajesh Ranjan
- Karambir Singh
- Subodh Kumar Jaiswal
- Sunil Kumar
ANSWER: C
- Which country’s Revolutionary Guards unveil underground missile base in Gulf?
- Iran
- Iraq
- South korea
- USA
ANSWER: A
- Which of the following US Army’s Tanks is now fully loaded with Trophy Active Protection System (APS)?
- Cougar
- M1117 Guardian
- M1 Abrams
- Stryker
ANSWER: C
- Which of the following Solid rocket propulsion stage demonstrator’s testing is under way at Solar Group’s testing facility?
- Kalam-5
- Kalam-7
- Atlas-2
- Delta-IV
ANSWER: A
- What is the maximum range of weapons rocket system indigenously developed by Pakistan?
- 140 km
- 120 km
- 100 km
- 135 km
ANSWER: A
- How many countries are interested in Akash and Brahmos export?
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Five
ANSWER: C
- Which of the following defence organization/s conducted a successful test of the MRSAM, a medium-range surface-to-air missile system?
- Israel Aerospace Industries
- Defence Research and Development Organisation
- Both A and B
- None of above
ANSWER: C
- Which country is to chair UNSC’s crucial Taliban and Libya sanctions committees’ panel on counter-terrorism?
- Libya
- Taliban
- India
- Pakistan
ANSWER: C
- Which minister launched Online Portal for Items to be Purchased Against Firm Demand from CSD?
- Amit shah
- Rajnath singh
- Narender singh Tomar
- Piyush Goyal
ANSWER: B
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