Japan orders its first series UH-X helicopters

• The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) in Japan has placed orders for the first six production UH-X helicopters for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF).
• Two contracts for these aircraft, signed on 19 March but not publicised at the time, amounted to JPY14.3 billion ($131.6 million). The beneficiary was Subaru Corporation (formerly Fuji Heavy Industries), who will manufacture them in Japan.
• These six aircraft are to be completed by January 2023.

Indian Army GOC-in-C of Western Command visits Tripeak Brigade

• Lt Gen RP Singh, AVSM, VSM had visited the forward posts of Tripeak Brigade to review the operational preparedness on Monday.
• He exhorted all ranks to keep working with the same zeal and enthusiasm.
• To remember the historical significance, it was actually the Indian Army’s team of 18^th Battalion Mahar Regiment of this Tripeak Brigade that successfully summited Mount Leo Pargyil at 6773m (3^rd highest mountain peak in Himachal that lies in Zanskar Range in Kinnaur district; considered extremely challenging and technically difficult peak to scale) on 20 August 2019. The expedition team hoisted National Flag atop Mt Leo Pargyil.

Indian Army & IAF rush to assist locals at Fire Accident of Baghjan Oil Field, Assam

• Indian Army assisted civil administration & NDRF in saving lives of locals affected by fire accident at Baghjan Oil Field Tinsukia, Assam yesterday.
• Troops evacuated & relocated  villagers to safety.
• Shillong-based Defence PRO Wing Commander Ratnakar Singh said that the IAF has rushed fire tenders to the site. “Three fire tenders have been deployed at the site to assist the administration in dousing the fire,” Wing Commander Ratnakar Singh said.

China recruiting western scientists to acquire classified defence technologies

• China is reportedly actively pursuing to acquire classified defence technology around the globe and is also seeking to recruit academicians and researchers.
• According to the internal party directive released on December 13, 2016, China has authorized an aggressive program of stealing the US science & technology information by recruiting Americans in the technology sector with access to trade secrets.
• The directive outlined a secret programme authorized by the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central committee to step up technology collection by an intelligence unit known as the ‘United Front Work Department’.
• Recently the US accused China of targeting academia by sending researchers to American labs and using talent recruitment programs to steal US scientific analysis.
• Earlier in January this year, the US Department of Justice charged a leading academic at Harvard University of hiding his alleged role in a Chinese government program for stealing trade secrets.
• The US prosecutors alleged that Charles Lieber, the chairman of Harvard’s Chemistry and Chemical Biology Department, was paid $50,000 a month and received more than $1.5 million to set up a lab at Wuhan University of Technology.
• Lieber’s arrest is not the first case of China’s systematic attempt to steal scientific analysis. According to various media resources, a senior scientist at the Defence Department of Australia with access to classified information had a business deal with Chinese missile manufacture. The scientist without disclosing to the department held the post of a director in a private firm of New South Wales, which specialized in big data analytics, and firm signed a deal with the subsidiary of the China Aerospace of Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) to buy heat sensors for agriculture use. During the course of work, he made several trips to China and met Chinese government officials. The case is currently under the review of the Defence Department.
• In another case, a data breach linked to a Chinese national, who was working at the materials science and engineering department of Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) Australia was identified. He was a postdoctoral student at a nanotechnology laboratory in Melbourne. He disappeared after the apparent breach and CSIRO later said that he had returned to China. The investigation was closed citing insufficient evidence and his reluctance to assist.

Pakistan army resorts to shelling along LoC in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district

• The Pakistan army resorted to heavy shelling along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Tuesday, prompting strong retaliation by the Indian Army.
• At about 0630 am yesterday, the Pakistan army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and intense shelling with mortars along the LoC in Mankote sector in Poonch district.

Serbia unveils new generation of M-84 main battle tank

• Ministry of the Defense Republic of Serbia has unveiled a new generation of M-84 main battle tanks that will be designated as M-84 AS1.
• On Monday, the Serbian Minister of Defence, Aleksandar Vulin, and the Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces attended the presentation of the modernized M-84 AS1 at the “Čačak” Technical Overhaul Institute.
• The M-84 AS1 is an advanced version of the M-84 main battle tank produced by Yugoimport SDPR in Serbia. The modernization gives an improved fire-control system with DNNS 2ATK integrated day/night sight .
• The M-84 AS1 is equipped with non-explosive and non-energetic reactive armour ERO-19 which offers protection against modern tandem charge warheads on missiles. It is also equipped with the modern electro-optical system for defense against wire and laser guided anti-tank missiles.
• The new tank received a KIS M-84 combat information and control system, a TOMS commander observation device, an active interference jamming system in the optical range of SOFTKIL and protecting the engine from incorrect actions by the driver when starting up and starting the engine.
• The M-84 AS1also is equipped with a modern remote weapon station, also known as an RWS. Such a weapon station allows a gunner to remain in the relative protection of the vehicle.

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Which agency in Japan has placed orders for the first six production UH-X helicopters?
2. Japan Marine United‎
3. Kawasaki Aerospace Company
4. Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency
5. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

ANSWER: C

• M-84 battle tank is produced by which country?
• Serbia
• Romania
• Czechia
• Turkey

ANSWER: A