Defence Current Affairs And Updates 21st May 2020

Hemanth Kasturi
May 21, 2020
1140

MoD approves procurement of 26 defence items only from local suppliers to boost ‘Make in India’

The Central Government has issued Public Procurement to encourage ‘Make in India’ and to promote manufacturing and production of goods and services in India. Under this order, Department of Defence Production (DDP), Ministry of Defence has so far notified 127 items where purchase preference is given to local suppliers as per PPP-MII 2017.
In order to further encourage procurement from local suppliers, 26 items out of 127 already notified and henceforth, procuring entities shall procure these items only from local suppliers, irrespective of purchase value, provided that the local suppliers meet the Minimum Local Content (MLC) as prescribed for each item.

Sl. No.	Items	Minimum Local Content
Items Used in Shipbuilding Industry
1.	Helo Landing Grid	60%
2.	Doors (Watertight & Weather tight)	60%
3.	Gemini Inflatable Boat	60%
4.	Oil Pumps	50%
5.	Battery Loading Trolley	50%
6.	Sacrificial Zinc Anode Flanges	50%
7.	Fibre Glass Cloth –E Grade	50%
8.	High temperature Gasket	50%
Other items used in defence manufacturing Industry
9.	6mm to 100mm thickness Weldox Plate	50%
10.	6mm to 100mm thickness Hardox Plate	50%
11.	Electric Motor (474175410130)	40%
12.	Some Cable Assemblies	40%
13.	MASS –(R118)(455611150102)	40%
14.	MODULATOR (212362440179)	40%
15.	Dual Switched Amplifier (455610540360)	40%
16.	Belleville Springs No. 2A46M 109-55	50%
17.	10 various kinds of Sealing Rings	50%

NATO looks for ideas from start-ups for radar data

The focus of the challenge is on improving distributed radar data processing, and the aim is to ensure that NATO’s air operations can tap into the latest technologies available in the defence sector and beyond. The most promising pitches could get access to funding and could be integrated in NATO systems within the next 12 months.
Solutions may use artificial intelligence, machine learning algorithms or other technologies. “We are looking for ideas with the potential to make a step-change in our ability to detect and understand activity in NATO’s airspace,” said Dr Michael Street, Head of Innovation and Data Science at the NCI Agency.
The deadline for applications is 15 June 2020. The most innovative, practical and cost-effective solutions will be evaluated in a virtual pitch session in late summer. The selection board will include experts in air command and control, radar and data science from across NATO and from AFWERX, a United States Air Force organization focused on innovation, which is the NCI Agency’s partner in this challenge.
This is the fifth Defence Innovation Challenge organised by the NCI Agency, and a part of the Agency’s efforts to bring concrete and innovative solutions to NATO’s technological challenges and needs.

U.S. Army shows interest in modern Finnish turreted mortar system

U.S. Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the Finnish Patria Group to determine feasibility of incorporating a turreted, breech-loaded 120 mm mortar weapon system in U.S. mortar carriers.
Furthermore, in September 2019, the U.S. Army already conducted a test of the newest Nemo mortar system manufactured by the Finnish Patria company.
The live-fire demonstration, which took place at Fort Benning Red Cloud Range on Sept. 11, was held during Fort Benning Expo that features exhibits from Industry Contractors supporting the mission of the U.S. Army and the programs at Fort Benning. Its goal is to provide specialized and refresher training, tactical information exchange, networking, and education.
The Patria’s officials said that Nemo mortar system showed excellent results and successfully demonstrated capability in rapid engagement, direct fire and Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact (MRSI).
The new agreement is continuation of U.S. Army’s effort to provide Armored and Stryker Brigade Combat Teams with rapid, precise indirect and direct fire capability where the operating crew is well protected, and their physical burden is significantly reduced. In late 2018 the Army published a market survey to identify capable sources to develop and produce the 120 mm Mortar Future Indirect Fire Turret (FIFT). Patria answered the market survey based on Patria Nemo mortar system.
Patria Nemo is a turreted, remote-controlled 120 mm mortar system with both direct and indirect fire capability and can execute up to 6 grenade multiple rounds simultaneous impact fire missions. In addition to being highly protected, Patria Nemo is light, compact and easily installable on light, tracked chassis, wheeled armored vehicles or navy vessels.

U.S. elite forces will receive next generation weapon system

The NGSW (Next Generation Squad Weapons) Automatic Rifle will replace the M249 squad automatic weapon, and the NGSW Rifle will replace M4 carbine.
Versions of the NGSW are intended to be equipped with sophisticated technologies such as ballistic calculation, intelligent targeting and tracking capabilities, wireless communication and advanced camera-based capabilities.
The NGSW project consolidates ammunition and weapons as well as a power and data rail for integration of next-generation fire control systems. The overall system provides a lightweight cased and telescoped cartridge with greater lethality than the current, fielded squad automatic weapons and at a much lighter weight than the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon. The 6.8 mm bullet, designed in-house, provides greater lethality and range than the Army’s current 5.56 mm bullets. This technology was transitioned to the Project Manager (PM) for Soldier Lethality (formerly the Project Manager for Soldier Weapons) within the Program Executive Office for Soldier in fiscal year 2019.
The goal of NGSW is to improve lethality, mobility and situational awareness of the dismounted infantryman, scout and engineer to overcome our nation’s adversaries and win on the battlefield.

Taiwan close to a deal to buy US-made mobile coastal defence system

The new mobile coastal Défense system is intended to perform surveillance of maritime coastal traffic, monitoring and picturing sea lines of communication, and identification and detection of hostile targets.
The Trump administration has been stepping up its support for Taiwan, including approving $10 billion (1 trillion yen) in arms sales in 2019, despite strong Chinese opposition.
Also noted that, an official of Washington has been asking Taipei since last year to buy more American weapons and the Harpoon was one of the items being peddled to Taiwan.
Taiwan already has the Hsiung Feng II and III coastal road-mobile missiles for attacking land and sea targets. It is suggested that the Tsai government is under pressure from the Trump administration to buy more weapons.

Operation Samudra Setu Phase 3

The INS Jalashwa will embark around 600-700 Indian Nationals at Colombo, Sri Lanka on 01 June 2020.
Officials said that till date 1,488 Indians have been brought back by Indian navy ships INS Jalashwa and INS Magar from Maldives earlier this month as part of the previous two phases of Samudra Setu.

IAF confirms: Routine test flight caused Bengaluru sonic boom

The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that the sound (heard late evening on Wednesday) was caused by a military aircraft going supersonic. The sonic boom was probably heard while the aircraft was decelerating from supersonic to subsonic speed between 36000- and 40000-feet altitude.

UPSC Exams Calendar to be released after June 5

Union Public Service Commission held a special meeting yesterday.
The Commission will issue a revised schedule of exams in its next meeting to be held on June 5 where a new calendar of exams will be published on UPSC website after the meeting.

QUICK REVIEW

Taiwan close to a deal to buy which US-made system?
Mobile Land Defence System
Mobile Coastal Defence System
Mobile Air Defence System
Mobile Submarine Defence System

ANSWER: B

Opn Samudra Setu Phase 3 will begin on:
1^st June 2020
1^st July 2020
15^th June 2020
15^th July 2020

ANSWER: A

U.S. Army shows interest in modern Finnish turreted mortar system. This is manufactured by:
Nordic Ammunition Company
Sisu Auto
Patria Plc
SAKO Limited

ANSWER: C