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Defence Current Affairs March 4th Week 2020

DRDO prepared four different items ready to be deployed in War against Corona:

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has prepared four different items ready to be deployed in the war against Corona as a result of a focused approach.
 
DRDO`s efforts:
 
♦ The four different items prepared by DRDO are Hand sanitizer, Ventilators, N99 masks, Body Suits.
♦ Hand sanitizers, the basic instrument against the spread of COVID-19, have been developed in-house at DRDO. DRDO has distributed hand sanitizers to Indian Armed forces, Armed Forces Medical Corps, Defence Security Corps, Ministry of Defence, Delhi Police and 40 nakas so far. Sanitizers were produced in the DRDO lab, Defence Research & Development Establishment (DRDE), Gwalior.
♦ As COVID-19 affects pulmonary functions, DRDO is on to create a ‘Multi patient-ventilator’ wherein several patients can be supported by a single ventilator. DRDO announced around 5,000 ventilators will be produced in the first month and 10,000 subsequently.
♦ N99 masks have developed five-layer N99 masks with two layers of nanomesh that are very advanced. DRDO assured to prepare 10,000 N99 masks per day.
♦ Body Suits were manufactured for medical and paramedical staff to manage and evacuate the causalities in the event of radiological emergencies.
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Defence Current Affairs March 3rd Week 2020

DAC approves procurement of 83 indigenous Tejas fighter jets for IAF:

The Defence Ministry`s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved for the procurement of 83 indigenous Tejas fighter jets for Indian Air Force (IAF) with the more advanced configuration on 18 March. The proposal will be forwarded for the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).

Highlights:

♦ The procurement of fighter jets will be a major boost to Make in India.

♦ The aircraft is indigenously designed, developed and manufactured by HAL and several local vendors.

♦ HAL`s 83 fighter jets are of the more advanced Mk1A version of the aircraft.

♦ The expected cost of the aircraft is Rs.39,000 crores.

♦ Earlier, GoI has placed an order of 40 Tejas aircraft with HAL in initial configurations.

♦ With this procurement, IAF aims to meet the requirements of its squadron numbers and modernize its inventory with fourth-generation plus and fifth-generation aircraft.

Defence Minister releases Draft Defence Procurement Procedure 2020:

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh released the Draft Defence Procurement Procedure(DPP), 2020 at a function in New Delhi. The policy is aligned with the vision of the government to empower the private industry through the Make in India initiative with the ultimate of turning India into a global manufacturing hub. The government has introduced leasing as another category to get defense equipment at affordable rates. The greater participation of the Indian industry and develop a robust defence industrial base, the use of indigenous raw materials, unique alloys, and software has been incentivized under the DPP-2020. 

Make in India

Make in India, a type of Swadeshi movement covering 25 sectors of the Indian economy, was launched by the Government of India.

Launch year: 2014.

 

 

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Defence Current Affairs March 2nd Week 2020

Exercise SAREX concluded at Goa:

National level Search, and Rescue Exercise and Workshop (Exercise SAREX 2020) concluded in the sea at Vasco, Goa. The exercise was conducted by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). It was carried out on 5-7 March.
 
Highlights:
 
♦ The SAREX exercise was inaugurated by Dr. Ajay Kumar, IAS, Secretary (Defence), Ministry of Defence (MoD).
♦ The exercise witnessed the participation of 24 overseas observers from 19 countries.
♦ Ministry of Shipping, Ministry of Civil Aviation, and Ministry of Defence took part in the event. 
♦ The theme of the exercise was Harmonization of Maritime and Aeronautical Search and Rescue code "HAMSAR." 
♦ International delegates, including 38 national observers and representatives of 7 commercial airlines, including two helicopter operators, participated in the exercise.
♦ The exercise tested the efficiency of operations and coordination of the stakeholders involved in Search and Rescue in the Indian Search and Rescue Region. 
 
SAREX exercise:
 
SAREX is a biennial exercise that is conducted by the Indian Coast Guard under the aegis of the National Maritime Search and Rescue Board (NMSARB). The exercise has been conducted since 2003 under the Chairmanship of Director General K Natarajan, ICG. 
 
GoI approved industrial licenses to 15 companies to manufacture Bullet Proof Jackets:
 
Government-issued industrial licenses to 15 companies to manufacture Bullet Proof Jackets (BPJs) on 11 March. The announcement was made by Minister of Defence Rajnath Singh. 
 
Highlights:
 
♦ The 15 companies for manufacturing Bullet Proof Jackets have the production capacity in the country of over 10 Lakh per annum to meet the domestic and export requirement.
♦ India exports Bullet Proof Jackets to 18 countries.
♦ Earlier, Indian soldiers did not have bullet-proof jackets. At present, 1.86 lakh soldiers are given BPJs. 
 
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Defence Current Affairs March 1st Week 2020

India bagged USD 40 million defence deal with Armenia:

India won a $40 million defence deal to supply 4 indigenously-built weapons locating radars to Armenia in Europe. India won the deal by overtaking Russia and Poland. The move by GoI is to boost the defence sector of the country. The deal is a major achievement for the `Make in India` programme in the defence sector. 

Highlights:

Under the deal, India will supply 4 SWATHI weapon locating radars. The weapon is to be developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and delivered to Armenia in Europe.

Armenians had conducted trials of systems offered by Russia and Poland but they approved the Indian system, which was developed by DRDO. India began the supply of the equipment to Armenia.

SWATHI weapon:

♦ The SWATHI weapon will help in locating radars. 

♦ It provides fast, automatic and accurate location of enemy weapons like shells, mortars, and rockets in its 50-km range. 

♦ The weapon includes 81mm (or higher calibre mortars), 105mm (or higher calibre shells) and 120mm (or higher calibre free flying rockets).

♦ The weapon is being developed by DRDO`s Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE)

♦ SWATHI can simultaneously handle multiples projectiles fired from different weapons at different locations. 

♦ The weapon can adjust the fire of its own artillery weapon also.

 
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