www.gradeup.

co

1
www.gradeup.co

Inter Continental Ballistic Missile: Agni 5

Here are some important details on Agni 5 which is an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). India is a rising
superpower, and in order to protect oneself, there is a strong need for establishing oneself as a global soft power.
But in some cases, use of force becomes imperative, like in the case of India.
India to protect oneself has an exemplary army but with technology use of missiles, aircraft etc. has become more
pronounced in the era of modern warfare. India has kept its pace and has developed its missile arsenal which is
nuclear capable. One such missile is Agni 5, which is an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile.
Let’s read more about this missile.
Inter Continental Ballistic Missile: Agni 5
What is Agni 5?
Agni 5 is an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile developed by DRDO (Defence Research & Development
Organization) and manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).
A Ballistic Missile is a missile that follows a trajectory and delivers warheads at a predefined target. Most of its
trajectory is unpowered and governed by gravity.
Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile is missiles that have a range of 5500 km. It is a part of Agni Series.
Agni Series:
Agni series of missiles were conceptualized keeping in view the rising threat from neighbors in 1980s itself. Agni
missiles are a product of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Project (IGMDP) launched in 1982 by the
Ministry of Defence (MOD).
Agni 5 marks the entry of Indian capability in the Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile Range. Agni 5 is the most
advanced in terms of navigation, guidance, engine, and warhead.
Many indigenously developed technologies were also tested in the Agni V trial. This variant of Agni I.e. Agni 5 is
having advantages of higher reliability, longer shelf-life, less maintenance, and enhanced mobility.

Testing:
The testing of Missiles is carried out from Abdul Kalam Island earlier known as Wheeler Island, Odisha. The Missile
has been tested 7 times, the last one being in Dec 2018 which completed the pre-induction trials. The missile was
launched from canister integrated mobile launcher.
Why India needs Agni 5?
India has adopted a nuclear doctrine of minimal credible deterrence and ‘no first use’ policy. On the other hand,
when you look at China, then you may find that China’s ‘no first use’ policy only holds true if the territory does
not belong to them. This means that if they consider any territory as theirs, they can use nuclear weapons in that
territory. Observing this case, India needs a weapon like Agni to protect its Northeastern states like Arunachal
Pradesh.
Features of Agni 5 Missile:
Agni V can be launched at a short notice from any location. It is canister based.
Can be launched with a single digit accuracy
Strike range of Agni 5 is more than 5000 km
2
www.gradeup.co

It can carry a nuclear warhead of about 1500 kg.

Agni 5 is equipped with a high-speed onboard computer and fault-tolerant software,
It is 17m in length and 2 m wide.
It also has the MIRV (Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle) techniques that can carry 2-10 nuclear
warheads.

Importance:
India joined the club of countries like USA, China, France, Russia, and Britain which have intercontinental ballistic
missile capabilities.
Induction of Agni 5 will add more teeth to India’s deterrence against India’s adversaries.

3
www.gradeup.co

Supersonic Cruise Missile: Brahmos

The Brahmos Missile is a result of Joint Venture between Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya and India’s Defence
Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The Brahmos name has been derived from two rivers
Brahmaputra and Moskva.

The need for Brahmos

India had already developed ballistic missiles like Agni, Prithvi etc. These missiles have good range but the thing
is they follow a trajectory by going outside the atmosphere and then using gravitation force to hit its target.
Due to this the ballistic missile could be easily traced and destroyed by enemy’s anti-ballistic missile system.
Cruise missile on the other hand use terrain hugging path, which means that they generally fly at an altitude that
is much closer to the ground and hence are not easily detected.
Hence there was a severe need for a cruise missile. Hence a deal was struck between India and Russia in 1998 to
develop a supersonic cruise missile.

Development of Brahmos
Brahmos was developed on similar ideas as that of Russian P-800 Oniks cruise missile. The first successful test fire
was conducted on 21 June 2001 from Integrated Test Firing Range off Chandipur coast in Odisha. Besides this,
the missile is highly versatile and can be used from land, sea, air and even underwater.
Following are the variants of Brahmos:
1. Surface to Surface Variant: To be used by Indian Army (mobile canister based); To be used by Indian
Navy (from warships - INS Rajput, INS Teg etc.)
2. Submarine Variant: To be used by Indian Navy
3. Air Variant: To be used by Indian Air Force (Sukhoi Su-30 MKI)

4
www.gradeup.co

Features of Brahmos
The missile had an initial range of 290 kilometers which has been recently upgraded to 450 Km for land and sea
variant while the air variant has a max range of 400 Km.

Features Specifications
Mass 3000 Kg (Land & Sea); 2500 Km (Air)
Max Speed Mach 2.8 to Mach 3.0
Warhead 200 Kg conventional & 300 Kg Nuclear

Further Development
The cruise missile is undergoing various upgrade such as increasing its range to 800 Km and also increasing its
speed to Mach 4.0, also an Unmanned Combat aerial vehicle version is also being developed by DRDO.
Brahmos NG:
It is a next-generation model of Brahmos which would be smaller up to 1.5 tons which would make it much
harder to be detected by a Radar.
Brahmos II:
India in 2016 became a part of Missile Technology Control Regime due to which both Russia & India are planning
on an upgraded version of Brahmos which will be hypersonic i.e would be 7 times the speed of sound and a
range of 600 Km.

Production of Brahmos
Both India and Russia have planned to develop 2000 Brahmos missile over the next 10 years out of which 50% of
these will be exported to friendly countries. The production center is in Thiruvananthapuram. Many countries such
as the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, Chile, Egypt, Venezuela etc. have expressed their interest in purchasing the
missile.

Conclusion
With the advent of Brahmos, the Indian defence forces are becoming much more self-reliant and with its state of
the art technology, it will surely act as a deterrent which India needs.

5
www.gradeup.co

Long-Range Subsonic Cruise Missile: Nirbhay

What is Cruise Missile?
A cruise missile is guided missile, that is used against terrestrial targets that remain in the atmosphere and flies at
a constant speed.
Modern cruise missiles are capable of travelling at supersonic or subsonic speeds. They are self-navigating
and can fly on an extremely low-altitude, non-ballistic trajectory.
They are classified as:
Supersonic cruise missile:
Supersonic Cruise missiles are those which travel faster than the speed of sound. The combination of supersonic
speed and warhead mass provides tremendous lethal effect with high kinetic energy. For eg - BrahMos
Hypersonic cruise missile:
Hypersonic cruise missile travels at a speed of more than 5 Mach. Brahmos-II is a cruise missile of hypersonic
nature.
Subsonic cruise missile:
It flies at a velocity lower than the sound. It travels at about 0.8 Mach speed. The recently tested Nirbhay is the
well-known subsonic missile.

Nirbhay Missile
Nirbhay was designed and developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization in India as a
multitude of subsonic cruise missiles.
The missile can be launched from several platforms and can transport conventional and nuclear weapons. It is
being developed and flight tests are underway.
The indigenously developed missile was test-fired from the ITR, Chandipur, off the Odisha coast.
The Nirbhay missile has a range between 700 and 1,000 km.
The missile's guidance, control and navigation systems are configured around the inertial navigation system
based on the indigenously designed Ring Laser Gyroscope and MEMS.

India’s Cruise missiles:

1. Nirbhay
2. Brahmos
3. Brahmos-II
NOTE: 1Mach = 1234.8 km/h
Let us now have a closer look at what differentiates the three.
Nirbhay Brahmos Brahmos-II
Origin India India and Russia India
Speed (Mach) 0.8 2.8-3 7
Type Subsonic Supersonic Hypersonic
Range(km) 1000-1500 290 300
Warhead 300kg 300 kg 300kg
Per Unit cost 6.7 million USD 2.73 million USD 2.73 million USD

6
 www.gradeup.co

Now that we have understood how Nirbhay stands out from the league of other Indian Cruise Missiles, below
table lists the features in comparison to Babur (Pakistan) and Tomahawk (USA)
Nirbhay Babur Tomahawk
Launch from fighter
Possible (increases range) Not possible Not possible.
aircrafts
In -Service Yet to start Since 2005 Since 1983
Range(km) 1500 700 2000
Speed(mach) 0.8 0.7 0.7
Nuclear and Conventional (Capable of
Supports MAjorty including Bunker
Warhead delivering 24 different types of Supports few
Busting Warheads
Warheads)
- TH-Dimer Fuel, Solid Fuel Rocket
Solid Fuel (Booster Rocket,
- Gas turbine Engine Booster
Propulsion and Liquid Fuel (Jet Engine)
- Internal - Navigation Systems (INS - GPS, INS, Terrain Contour Matching
Navigation - INS, TERCOM/DSMAC, GPS,
IRNSS_ (TERCOM), Digital Scene Matchin and
GLONASS
Area Co-relation (DSMAC)

Dassault Rafale Indian Air Force Aircraft

The Rafale is manufactured by French Company Dassault Aviation, the same company that manufactured Mirage
2000.
It is a multi-role fighter aircraft which is intended to perform aerial reconnaissance, ground support, air
supremacy. It is also called “Omnirole aircraft” due to its versatile capability.

7
www.gradeup.co

The Need of Rafale in India:

Due to difficult neighbors, the Indian Air Force needs a minimum of 42 squadrons to protect its borders. Lack of
finances & sluggish approach in aircraft manufacturing technology has caused the Indian Air Force to manage the
borders with a mere strength of 31 squadrons.
These pressing situations prompted the government to induct more fighter jets. After years of pondering the UPA
govt finally gave assent to the acquisition of 126 Rafale aircraft. But at that time the bone of contention became
the responsibility of 108 aircraft which were to be manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautical Limited.
In 2015, the NDA government finally inducted acquisition of 36 Rafale in flyaway condition and withdrew the
earlier deal. Many acquisitions were made by the opposition regarding corruption in the above deal as it was
observed that in 2016 Reliance & Dassault both went into a joint venture. Finally, with recent information in light,
the CAG finally said that there was no corruption in the deal and the increased cost is due to the inflation plus the
purchase or certain high-end equipment and missiles like Meteor BVRAAM which was also accepted by the
Supreme Court of India.
The IAF has proposed the deployment of the Rafale jets in Ambala, Haryana & Hashimara, Bengal. This would
counter both Pakistan and Chinese borders.

8
www.gradeup.co

9
 www.gradeup.co

Features of Dassault Rafale Aircraft

The 4++ (or 4.5) generation aircraft is equipped with state-of-the-art avionics and equipment. It also has
integrated defensive aids system, SPECTRA, which protects it against any missiles and ground threats.
Due to its smaller size as compared to its counterparts such as Russian SU-30MKI the aircraft does not easily get
detected. It also supports air to air refuelling.
It also has a flight control system (FCS) that is much reliable and prevents the chances of crashes. It is also
equipped with Man to Machine interface integrated with HOTAS (Hands on Throttle and Stick) allowing best
performance to Air Force.

The Difference between Rafale Vs Tejas:

The Indian Air Force is focussing towards multirole aircraft with putting stress on Indigenous Tejas and Dassault’s
Rafale.
Let’s compare both aircraft:
Characteristics Dassault Rafale HAL Tejas
Type Medium Multi-role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) Light Combat Aircraft (LCA - Multi-role)
Max Weight 24,500 Kg 13,500 Kg
Max Speed 1.8 Mach 1.8 Mach
Range 3700 Km 850 Km
Combat Radius 1852 km 500 Km
Surface ceiling 15.2 Km 16 Km
Hardpoints (for missile) 14 8

This clearly shows that Rafale is better than Tejas but based on the various operational costs and ease of flight,
the Tejas aircraft is also a better substitute to compensate the ailing squadrons of the air force.

Conclusion:
The Rafale aircraft would definitely prove to be an ace in the hole for India. The Hindustan Aeronautical Limited
has also started working on the AMCA project and is also jointly developing FGFA with Russia which would
strengthen the Indian Air Force.

Glossary:
AMCA - Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft
FGFA - Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft
Surface Ceiling - It is the max altitude at which the aircraft can fly
Hardpoints - Points present in the aircraft where missiles can be attached

MiG 21 Aircraft: Indian Air Force

The MiG- 21 is an interceptor aircraft manufactured by Mikoyan Gurevich in 1959 when Russia was a part of
Soviet Union.
It is developed primarily to exceed sonic speed (i.e speed of sound) and be an improvement over its predecessors
MiG-15, MiG -17 & Mig-19.
The MiG-21(also known as ‘Fishbed’) was the first Soviet aircraft that combined the abilities of both an air to air
combat fighter aircraft as well as an interceptor aircraft designed to attack enemy aircraft specifically.
India which is the largest operator of MiG-21 made its purchase in 1964 and as of 2019, 119 MiG’s are still in
service.

The Flying Coffin:

It is observed that the plane has been plagued with serious maintenance problems. From 1970 to 2013 at least 14
MiG’s have been crashed. These crashes are not only due to engine problem but also due to weather conditions.
The Indian Air Force due to lack of budgetary cuts is not able to purchase newer aircraft and has to make do with
refitting new technology in an older machine. Due to these crashes, the plane has earned the name ‘Flying Coffin’
and ‘widowmaker’.

10
www.gradeup.co

Img Source : TOI

MIG 21 Design:
The aircraft has a delta wing which permits it to take turns without any rapid loss of speed. It has an operational
range of 1210 Km, Flying speed of Mach 2 (2175 Km/h) and a surface ceiling of 17.8 Kms which makes it one of
the best aircraft in its 3rd generation league.

India - Pakistan 2019 Skirmish:

After the Pulwama attack, the Indian govt has scaled up its military activity and adopted its “Offensive Defence”
strategy. In retaliation to 26 Feb attack of the Indian Air Force where they are conducting air strikes at Balakot, the
Pakistan Air Force on 27 Feb planned to attack Indian Military bases with USA’s F-16 Aircraft. The Indian Air Force
was ready with its interceptors and shot down one of the F-16s. Though the Indian MiG-21 piloted by Wing Cdr
Abhinandan was also shot down but the global reaction was majorly focused on the fact that how did the Indian
Pilot achieve this feat let's look at the specification of the two aircrafts:

MiG 21 Aircraft vs F-16 Aircraft:

Specification Mig-21 Bison F-16
Nick Name Fish Bed Fighting Falcon
Generation 3rd Generation 4th Generation
Type Fighter Multi-role
Range 1210 Km 4220 km
Missiles R-73, R-77 AIM-7, AIM 120 AMRAAM
Speed 2175 Km/h 2400 Km/h
Combat Radius 370 Km 547 Km

11
www.gradeup.co

MIG 21 Aircraft Upgrades:

The MiG 21 also went under significant up gradation in 2006 with Multi-mode Radar, Better avionics &
communication systems to give an edge over other aircraft. It was then renamed ‘MiG -21 Bison’. It was also fitted
with R-73 Archer short range and R-77 medium-range anti-aircraft missile. It was also equipped with Helmet
mounted displays which assisted the pilot while engaging in a dogfight.

Conclusion:
With the new upgrades the MiG-21 Bison gave a toe to toe competition to the F-16 Falcon but as it is said that it
is not the machine that wins the war, it is the man behind the machine that makes it possible. Hence it is solely
the practice of the Indian Air Force pilots who do all the hard work and make the impossible, possible.

Glossary:
Dog Fight: Aerial battle between fighter aircraft conducted at close range.
AMRAAM: Advanced Medium Air to Air Missile. It is a fire & forgets missile, generally equipped in F-16 and other
US manufactured aircraft.
HAL Tejas: Indian Air Force
The Tejas is the 4th generation fighter aircraft indigenously developed in India. It is designed and developed by
the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
Its Full-Scale Engineering Development (FSED) programme was sanctioned in April 1993 and the first Technology
Demonstration took place in January 2001.
LCA completed about 3200 flights before getting final operational clearance in 2013. First Series Production (SP1)
Tejas aircraft was handed over to the Indian Air Force on 17 January 2015.
Features:
The Tejas is a Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). This means that it engages in light strikes or attack missions,
reconnaissance roles.
The Tejas is the first advance Fly-by-wire (FBW) fighter aircraft designed, developed and manufactured in India.
It has a glass cockpit and is equipped with state-of-the-art Satellite aided Inertial Navigation System. It is
equipped with a digital computer-based attack system and autopilot.
The Tejas is capable of firing Air to Air Missiles, Bombs as well as Precision Guided Munitions. It also has Beyond
Visual Range (BVR) missiles, improved and better stand-off weapons and air to air refueling capability.
The aircraft with delta wing is capable of air combat, offensive air support and can perform a secondary role of
reconnaissance.
Technical specifications:
Specification Measurement
Max Takeoff Weight 13.5 Tonnes
Payload 5.3 Tonnes
Speed 1.8 Mach
Combat Radius 300 km
Takeoff distance 1700 m
Service Ceiling 16 km
Tejas Mk2
It is expected to be a 5th generation aircraft. The Mk2 is supposed to be a replacement for Jaguar, Mirage 2000,
and MIG 29 which will be an advanced medium combat aircraft.
It will be powered with GE-F414-INS6 engine which will be having higher thrust. It will also be equipped ski-jump
take-off and arrested landing making it suitable for Navy. Mk2 is expecting its first flight by 2022.
Tejas in Indian Air Force
The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) "Tejas" is inducted as No. 45 Squadron of Indian Air Force (IAF). No. 45 Squadron,
also called the "Flying Daggers".
The flying Dagger has formally commenced operation from Sulu Air Force Station in Tamil Nadu. Southern Air
Command based in Thiruvananthapuram has been entrusted with the responsibility of training the aircrew. it is
seen as an alternative to MIG-21 and MIG-27.
Indian Air Force has ordered for 83 Tejas which include 73 Mk1a which is an improved version and 10 LCA trainer
aircraft.
Indian Tejas Vs. Sino-Pakistani JF-17
The Indian Tejas is one of the most formidable aircraft in its generation. Let’s see when we compare the aircraft
with the Pakistan-China jointly developed JF-17 aircraft.
12
www.gradeup.co

Specification LCA Tejas JF - 17

Joint Venture - Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and Chengdu
Manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautical Ltd.
Aircraft Agency
Speed 1.8 Mach 1.8 Mach
Hardpoints 8 7
Missiles Python, Derby, ASTRA AIM - 150
Fuel 2458 Kg 2300 Kg
The Missile, state of the art avionics of Tejas clearly give a solid edge over the JF-17 aircraft.

13
www.gradeup.co

Conclusion
Though Tejas took a lot of time in its manufacturing due to its simple design and rugged nature, it is one of the
most daunting aircraft. We hope that Tejas protects our skies from the predators so that India can rise to achieve
its dream of being a superpower.

Mirage 2000: Indian Air Force

The Mirage 2000 is the French multirole aircraft manufactured by Dassault Aviation in the 1970s as a replacement
for the Mirage III of the French Air Force.
The Mirage 2000 is the deadliest and most versatile aircraft of the Indian Air Force. It was commissioned in the
year 1985 and was given the name ‘Vajra’ which meaning thunderbolt in Sanskrit.
The Mirage 2000 is a 4th generation multirole fighter aircraft, which means that the aircraft is capable of
performing air to air attack as well as support ground troops. It can also perform as an interceptor to other
aircraft.
Features:
The Mirage was specially designed as a lightweight, highly maneuverable fighter that was being originally being
manufactured as an air superiority fighter under the project “Delta 1000”. But due to changes in the role
demanded by the French Military it was later made into a multirole fighter.
It has a speed of 2.3 Mach and has a combat ceiling of 17Kms. It has a climbing speed of 60,000 feet per min &
designed for all-weather day & night operations.
It has delta wings and fly-by-wire control systems.
It also has air to air refueling technology that makes it possible to remain airborne for a long period of time.
Mirage in India:
The first 7 aircraft which India received was named the ‘Battleaxes’, with this India became the first country to use
this aircraft.
The Indian Air Force used Mirage 2000s during the Kargil war when the made MiG - 21, MiG-23 and MiG - 27
were unable to execute operation due to difficult weather. These were remarkably successful in destroying the
enemy trenches and assisted in capturing Tiger Hill.
The IAF currently operates 49 Mirage 2000s aircraft that went under maintenance upliftment and equipped it with
Advanced Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system, integrated multi-mode multi-layered radar, a war suite
equipped with advanced beyond visual range missile system capability.
Legacy:
Mirage is widely used by many countries such as France, Egypt, India, Peru, UAE, Greece, Taiwan, and Brazil.With
increasing frequency in maintenance and inception of new aircraft like Rafale, the Vajra is losing its sheen.
Nonetheless, the aircraft has time and again proved itself as an excellent performer. The credit goes to the pilots
and the support staff as well.

Sukhoi SU-30 MKI: Indian Air Force Aircraft

The Sukhoi Su30MKI was developed by the Russian Company Sukhoi Aviation Corporation as a 4th generation m
ultirole air superiority fighter aircraft. It is an air superiority fighter with multirole capabilities from
surface mission capabilities along with air to air & air.
India entered in an MoU with Russia in the year 2000 and permitted the license production of Su-30MKIs at HAL’s
plant. The Su-30MKI variant was inducted into the Indian Air Force in the year 2002, while the first indigenously
assembled (at HAL facility) Su-30MKI was inducted in 2004.
The Indian variant of the aircraft was manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air
Force (IAF). The MKI mentioned in Su-30 MKI is an acronym for "Modernizirovannyi, Kommercheskiy, Indiski",
which means Modernized, Commercial, Indian.
There are a total of 240 Sukhoi's in service out of which, HAL has manufactured 202 Su-30MKI fighter jets for the
IAF making it the highest number so far made under license from the Russian OEM.

Technical Specification:
Characteristics Technical Specification
Max Speed Mach 2
Range 3000 Km
Combat Radius 1300 Km
Service Ceiling 17.3 Km
Hardpoints 12
14
www.gradeup.co

In addition to this, the Sukhoi Su-30 is well equipped with Brahmos Cruise missile to deter any incoming enemy
aircraft.

Comparison with Dassault Rafale

• Top speed of Sukhoi 30mkiis 2,120km/h, while top speed of Rafale is 2,130km/h.
Rafale target up to a range of 3,700km. And Sukhoi can target up to a range of 3,000km.
Rafale is 15m long, while Sukhoi is 22m long.
• There is a huge difference in the weight of both the aircraft while they are empty and also during
takeoff. Rafale is much lighter in both the condition than Sukhoi which makes it better in
maneuverability too and hence better during dogfights.
• Due to small size Rafale is not easily detected on the RADAR which makes it more stealthy than Sukhoi
Su-30.
• Hence Rafale is a clear winner here.
Rafale is expensive but the reasons are diverse including a better range, a wider range of weapons including
cruise missiles, comprehensive support infrastructure and its interconnecting technology to the Mirage 2000 that
is being upgraded and overhaul. The range is critical as well as employing long-range cruise missiles and the
French agreeing for India to develop and integrate into the existing source code to deliver nuclear bombs.
The Rafale ups its game on its weapons capability to include nuclear delivery. The training program attached
to Rafale is more comprehensive than the Su-30MKI support program. These are the real key over the Su-
30MKI.
The Indian Air Force is currently working with equipping the Su-30MKI with Israeli SPICE-2000 laser-guided
bombs, to make it more deadly. Currently, only the Mirage-2000s are fitted with the SPICE-2000 bombs & these
aircraft were successful in the pre-dawn strike mission done on the terror camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM)
terror outfit in Balakot, PoK.

Conclusions
15
www.gradeup.co

Top Brass of Indian Air Force (IAF) is not fully convinced that additional Sukhoi-Su-30MKI fighter jets will actually
help gauge fall of the fighter fleet in the force and Senior officials are also worried that IAF is already Top-heavy
and actually needs Light and Medium class aircraft to strike the right balance in the force. Aircraft like Sukhoi-Su-
30MKI have a higher operating cost when compared with light or medium class fighter jets. Su-30MKI fleet also
faces routine spares and maintenance issues which have improved over the last few years but still has not
reached up to prudent levels.

Boeing CH-47 Chinook Helicopter

Good news to the Indian Air Force as the first batch of 4 Chinook Helicopters arrived on 11th Feb at Mundra Port,
Gujarat. This seems like a positive sign for the Air Force who is struggling with equipping itself adequately with
time.
The Deal:
The Indian Air Force has been struggling with logistical supply and support, with its ailing Russian build Mi-17
medium-lift helicopters, Mi- 26 & Mi- 35 attack helicopters. With an increase in tensions across borders against
Pakistan and China, India rapidly scaled up its defence purchases.
India signed the $ 3 billion dollar deal with the USA for the purchase of 15 CH-47 Chinook and 22 AH-64 Apache
helicopters in 2018, a decision taken after 3 years of thought.
The Helicopter:
Named after American Indian tribe, the CH-47 F(I) “Chinook” is an advanced multi-mission helicopter that was
manufactured by Boeing. It was introduced in 1962 and took part in many operations in Vietnam, Afghanistan,
and Iran. It is said to be one of the most advanced heavy-lift helicopters of the world.
Boeing has strengthened its supply chain & has nearly 160 partners in JV to manufacture large sections of
Chinook helicopters.
Strengths:
The helicopter can carry a payload of 9.6 tonnes including heavy machinery such as artillery guns, howitzers, and
even light armored vehicles. This capacity can also be utilized for rescue operations, disaster relief, aircraft
recovery, and parachute drops.
It can also help the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to complete long-pending road building projects and
provide better connectivity to North-East India.
Clash of the heavy lifters: Mi-26 Vs Chinook
The Russian made Mi-26 has been a part of India since ages, but the Indian Air Force is facing many issues, the
most prominent is spare parts. It is often seen that the Mi-26 spends most of its time on land than in air. To add
to its woes the operational cost of the helicopter is also huge. So purchasing the Chinook is a better option.

16
www.gradeup.co

Source: Tribune India

Around the world:
More than 1100 Chinooks have been manufactured by Boeing and nearly 19 countries around the world are using
Chinooks. India is the 9th Non-Nato countries that have received Chinook helicopter before India did.
Here is a list of Non-Nato countries: Libya, Iran, Morocco, South Korea, Thailand, China, Japan and Singapore.
Air Base and Establishments:
The helicopter will be stationed in Chandigarh Air Force Station as well as Mohanbari in the North East. The IAF
has already trained its pilot on new helicopters since October 2018 in Delaware, USA.
Conclusion:
The Chinook is one of the most important things in IAF’s arsenal which would boost its military capability to a
vast extent.

Apache AH-64E: Indian Air Force Helicopter

What is Apache?
Apache is an attack helicopter which is regarded as the world’s most lethal helicopter. The helicopter is
manufactured by Boeing and was first introduced in US army in 1986. Apache AH-64E is an upgraded version of
the helicopter which will be inducted into the Indian Air Force.

Why did IAF choose Helicopter over Aircraft?

The Indian Air Force is struggling for the newer acquisition of the aircraft, so why did it prefer to choose a
Helicopter over Aircraft?
It is no doubt an aircraft has an edge over a helicopter when it comes to destroying the resources behind enemy
lines, but the helicopter has their advantage too:
1. Helicopters can hover and can precisely target and mow down even man-sized
targets with things like millimetre radar and night vision
2. Helicopters can also hug the ground, making them much more difficult to spot by air defences, RADAR
and enemy troops. Therefore, the first wave of air attacks conducted in the 1st Gulf War was led by AH-
64s (destroying radar sites).
3. Lastly, most attack helicopters are armoured. On the other hand, most fixed-wing aircraft are not
(including all the ones you mentioned). So, if they take fire, they’re less likely to go down.
4. Attack helicopters can land and take-off from small pads and ships whereas fixed-wing aircraft require a
runway or special aircraft carrier.
5. India has a very difficult terrain where there are important passes and ranges which are difficult to target
from an aircraft, hence helicopters gain an advantage.
The Helicopter is going to be a joint venture of US company Boeing & Indian company Tata under Make in
India initiative.

17
www.gradeup.co

Technical Specifications:
Here are some technical specifications of the aircraft:
Characteristics Specifications
Crew 2
Operational Speed 158 Knots (293 Km/h)
Range 476 Km
Service Ceiling 21000 ft (6.1 Km)
Hardpoints 4

Why Apache Ah-64E?

India Chose the Apache helicopter due to the following reasons:
1. FIM 92 Stinger Missile:
This missile is notorious for its impact in the Soviet-Afghan war. Mujahideen armed with these Stingers brought
down jet fighters to transport aircraft to helicopters.
One of the worst helicopters to be affected by this missile was the MI-35 that India already has. These missiles
form a large part of Pakistan’s arsenal (350 missiles) so we had to have a helicopter which would have better
survivability rate.

2. AGM-114 Hellfire Missile:

This is a revolutionary Air-to-Surface and Surface-to-Surface missile specifically intended for an Anti-Armor role.
This missile is tailor-made for low-intensity conflicts where surgical removal of Armor is required.
These missiles come specially equipped with the Apache helicopters and make a lethal combination of speed &
strength.
Fully armoured Fuselage:
The helicopter is also known as the flying tank as it is so secure that it can take multiple bullets & still perform
well in the battlefield.
Hence, it can be deduced that the Apache was the best choice for India. Apart from that India wanted to
strengthen its friendship with the USA.

Conclusion:
The stealthy, agile chopper is designed for missions of all kinds. In addition to a 70 mm rocket arsenal and an
automatic cannon, the Apache is equipped with laser and infrastructure systems for day-to-day operability.
The Apache is going to be India's first pure attack helicopter. While the Mi 35 from Russia has been operating for
years and is now about to retire, the two pilot Apache is a dedicated attack chopper that experts believe will be a
'game changer'.

INS Vikramaditya: Indian Naval Aircraft Carrier

INS Vikramaditya is the largest aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy. It is a STOBAR (Short Take Off but Assisted
Recovery) carrier. The STOBAR is a system of launching and recovering the aircraft by combining the technology
of SVTOL (Short Takeoff Vertical Landing) and CATOBAR (Catapult Assisted Takeoff But Arrested Recovery).
INS Vikramaditya was converted from Russian Navy’s aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov which was originally built
from Ukrainian Warship, Baku. Baku served till 1991. Admiral Gorshkov served till 1996.
Ukrainian warship Baku
Contract signing:
The deal between India & Russia was signed in the year 2004 when India felt a dire need of an aircraft carrier with
its retiring INS Viraat.
Project background and details
• The major reason for decommissioning in 1996 was because it was too expensive to operate on a post-
Cold War budget. This engrossed the consideration of India, which was looking for a way to increase its
carrier aviation abilities.
• The modernized warship was initially scheduled to be delivered by August 2008 but was delayed due to
cost overruns. The issue with the delays was furthered by ongoing vast cost overruns, ultimately which
resulted in high-level diplomatic exchanges.
• In the end, India has to pay a further of US$1.2 billion for the project, more than double the original cost.
However, ongoing delays with the INS Vikramaditya delivery schedule pushed the delivery to 2013.
Design and Features:

18
www.gradeup.co

• The refurbished INS Vikramaditya is equipped with 234 new hull sections constructed using 2,500 tonnes
of steel. It has an overall length of 284m, the height of about 60 m and a displacement of 44,500 tonnes.
• The warship features 22 decks and 2,500 compartments, of which 1,750 are completely re-built.
Sponsons are mounted to surge the breadth at the flight deck.
• The updated ship is also armed with flight deck lighting systems, new AC plants, chilling plants, 14° sky
jump, 30m wide arrester gears, three restrictive gears, and two RO plants for production of 400 tonnes
of fresh water per day.
• The modifications also included replacement of 2,300 km of old electrical cables with new cables, which
is equal to half of the length of the total coastline of India.
It is a floating city with over 1,800 personnel on board. The logistics requirements of such a large crew are also
massive. It is estimated that every month, the ship and its crew requires nearly a lakh of eggs, 20,000 liters of milk
and 16 tonnes of rice per month. If fully kept up, the carrier can sail for 45 days and has the ability to carry on
operations up to a range of over 13000 km.
The ships power generation and distribution section sustain 12 generators which yield 18 MW power that can
sustain 100 villages of their electricity needs.
INS Viraat (R-22) Vs INS Vikramaditya (R-33):
INS Viraat was a Centaur class aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy that served for nearly 30 years in the Indian Navy.
It is named as ‘Grand Old Lady’.
INS Vikramaditya (R-33) is a significant upgrade over INS Viraat as it uses Ski-jump technology instead of
CATOBAR due to which it is cost-efficient.

Installation of Ski-Jump on INS Vikramaditya

Characteristics INS Viraat (R-22) INS Vikramaditya (R-33)
Displacement 28700 tonnes 45400 tonnes
Speed 28 Knots (52 Km/h) 30 Knots (56 Km/h)
Aircrafts 26 36

Importance:
The ship has the capability to transport 36 aircraft comprising a range of MiG 29K/Sea Harrier, Kamov 31, Kamov
28, Sea King, ALH-Dhruv and Chetak helicopters. Due to these, it has earned its motto “Strike far Strike Sure”.
It also has a modern communication complex and tactical data system that allows it to be fully integrated with
the Indian Navy’s network-centric operations.
The INS Vikramaditya embodies a major increase in the volume of the Indian Navy for the projection of power in
the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
The INS Vikramaditya could empower India to play a meaningfully more complex and dynamic role as a maritime
security player in the region.

INS Chakra III: Indian Naval Submarine

The Current Scenario
The Indian Navy is the 4th largest naval power in the world. In recent years, the Indian naval dominance in the
ocean is being by China as it is constantly creating artificial islands as well as investing in infrastructural
investments in and around the Indian Ocean Region. The seaports in strategic places like Djibouti, Gwadar,
Hambantota, and Kyaukpyu etc are China's long thought strategy called "string of pearls" by which it wants to
increase its military influence in the region.

19
www.gradeup.co

To counter this, India is also investing in developing infrastructure in Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Myanmar etc.,
signing logistic treaties with the USA (LEMOA), France and Japan etc. But the major focus of India lies in
improving its military arsenal.

Why Submarines?
Submarines represent the cutting edge of a navy’s offensive capability and are therefore an integral element of a
maritime nation’s security setup.

20
www.gradeup.co

The flexibility of the platform gives it the freedom to operate across the entire spectrum of conflict from the
strategic to the sub-conventional.

Classification of Submarines
Submarines can be classified into the following three types –
• The Ballistic missile armed nuclear submarine (SSBN), most credible platform for strategic
deterrence,
• The Nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN)
• The Diesel-electric submarine (SSK) or (Scorpene Class Submarine)
India is the sixth country in the world which operates nuclear submarines (SSBNs and SSNs), the others being the
five permanent members of the Security Council – USA, Russia, UK, France and China. While the SSBN is the most
credible platform for strategic deterrence and effective second strike and the SSK ideally suited for littoral
operations in a limited tactical scenario, it is the SSN which perfectly complements a carrier-centric expeditionary
force structure due to the following reason:-
(a) High speeds underwater in excess of 25 knots
(b) Agile manoeuvrability,
(c) Unlimited endurance due to nuclear propulsion
(d) Lethal firepower including land attack cruise missiles and heavyweight torpedoes.
(e) Ability to shape the maritime battle-space

INS Chakra III

In 2012, an Akula-2 class submarine was leased for a period of 10 years. It is also called INS Chakra and will be in
the Indian Navy till 2022. The two countries are also working to extend the lease of the Chakra II
In 2018, following the visit of the naval chief Admiral Sunil Lanba, a high-level delegation from the Indian Navy
had visited Russia for inspecting two Akula-2 class SSNs - Bratesk and Samara.
The two countries signed an inter-governmental agreement capping months of negotiations on price and various
other aspects of the deal.
On 07 March 2019, India signed a contract with Russia to lease an Akula-2 class nuclear attack submarine for a
period of 10 years commencing from 2025. It will be designated as Chakra III.
It is understood that the submarine being leased to India will be modified with an indigenous mix of equipment
in its communication and sensor suite before it is handed over to the Indian Navy.

Which is Better Purchasing or Leasing?

Basis for
Purchasing Leasing
Comparison
Leasing is an arrangement wherein the owner of
It refers to buying the asset by paying the
Meaning the asset permits another person to use the asset,
price of it.
for recurring payments.
Cost Cost of owning the asset Cost of using the asset
Buyer has the right to transfer or sell the Lessee has no right to transfer or sell the asset to
Transfer
asset any other party.
Can be paid in lump sum or in equated
Consideration Can be paid through lease rentals.
monthly installment for a fixed period.
Term The economic life of an asset Specified terms
Once all the dues are cleared, the asset At the end of the term, the lessee has two option,
Ownership Options
belongs to the buyer only. either to purchase the asset or return it.
Repairs and
The responsibility of the buyer Depends on the lease type.
Maintenance

Conclusion
The significance of submarines to national security cannot be underrated. They supply the conclusive edge at
every level, be it strategic, operational or tactical. Submarines raise the modern navies credibility and nations
which neglect the phased growth and modernisation of this vital capability do so at their own peril.

Indian Military Exercises

A military exercise or war games is the technique of using military resources in training or performing drills of
military operations, testing the quickness and real-time capabilities of warfare and adopting strategies without
undergoing actual combat.
The military exercise is a measure to test the performance of the armed forces without engaging in the battlefield.
21
 www.gradeup.co

Why is military exercise required?

• Military exercise has become an imperative part of the armed forces all around the world. They serve
many purposes like:
• It trains soldiers in how to act, how to think, and how to work together in times of conflict.
• The military exercise is a method to showcase the power and might to other countries of the world.
• It also improves the coordination as well as cooperation among friendly militaries of the world.
• It provides with an opportunity to test the precision of weapons and devices.
• Training for Natural Disasters and Humanitarian Relief.

Military Exercises are classified into the following types:

1. Bilateral Exercise
2. Multilateral Exercise
3. Domestic Exercise

Bilateral Exercises:
Bilateral Exercise is those exercise that is conducted between two countries. Below is a table that shows the list of
bilateral exercise:
Indian Army:
S. Partner
Exercise name Remarks
No. Nation
The annual joint training exercise, 7th edition held in Oct 2018, it was suspended in
1. China Ex Hand in Hand
2017 because of Doklam Plateau standoff.
2. Nepal Ex Surya Kiran Conducted biannually (every six months), alternatively in India and Nepal.
It is aimed to strengthen and broaden the aspects of interoperability and cooperation
3. Bangladesh Ex Sampriti
between the Indian and Bangladesh Armies.
Its inception was in 2012 in response to China’s efforts to strengthen its influence in the
4. Sri Lanka Ex Mitra Shakti
Indian Ocean region & Southeast Asia.
5. Ex Yudh Abhyas Annual combat exercise started in 2004, 14th edition held in Uttarakhand in 2018.
USA Conducted between Special Forces of both countries to deal with operations for
6. Ex Vajra Prahar
counter-terrorism.
7. Myanmar IMBAX-2017 It is aimed at strengthening closer relations with armies of the neighboring countries.
8. Malaysia Ex HARIMAU SHAKTI It is a 1st bilateral military training exercise between India and Malaysia in May 2018.
Annual military exercise, started in 2012, 6th edition held in 2018 in Bandung,
9. Indonesia Ex Garuda Shakti
Indonesia.
First military exercise between the two countries, to carry out training for Peacekeeping
10. Vietnam VINBAX-2018
Operations under United Nations (UN) mandate.
Annual bilateral military exercise started in 2009. Hosted alternatively in India and the
11. Maldives Ex Ekuverin
Maldives.
Transformed into tri-services Military Exercise in 2017. The 10th edition conducted in
12. Russia Ex INDRA
2018 at Babina Military Station, Jhansi.
It is a joint military exercise first conducted in 2015. It is aimed at interoperability &
14. Oman AL NAGAH
weapons.
15. Japan DHARMA GUARDIAN First joint military exercise between India and Japan, conducted in 2018 in Mizoram.
16. Thailand EX MAITREE It was targeted at evolving drills & procedures involved in counter-terrorist operations.
17. UK Ex AJEYA WARRIOR The biennial military exercise started in 2013.
18. Kazakhstan Ex PRABAL DOSTYK 2016-first edition, 2017-second edition.
Ex NOMADIC Annual bilateral military exercise started in 2006. Designed to strengthen the
19. Mongolia
ELEPHANT partnership between the armies of India & Mongolia
The 8th edition of this biennial military exercise conducted in May 2018 at Mahe island
21. Seychelles Ex LAMITIYE
in Seychelles Archipelago.
Ex BOLD A bilateral armor exercise conducted at the BABINA Field Firing Range (BFFR) in Central
23. Singapore
KURUKSHETRA India between the Singapore Army and the Indian Army (IA).
24. Kyrgyzstan Ex KHANJAR It is an exercise between Special Forces of India and Kyrgyzstan.
Indian Navy:
S. Partner
Exercise name Remarks
No. Nation
SLINEX exercise started in 2005 was previously held biennially; from 2018 onwards it has
1. Sri Lanka SLINEX
been converted into the annual event.

22
 www.gradeup.co

3. Russia INDRA NAVY Started in 2003, 4th edition took place in 2018 in the Bay of Bengal.
4. UK KONKAN Started in 2004, to build interoperability and share best practices.
It started in 1983 between the navies of India & France. These exercises was later named
5. France VARUNA
as Varuna in 2001.
NASEEM-AL- Biennial bilateral exercise between the two navies, started in 1993. Literally means “sea
6. Oman
BAHR breeze”
7. Vietnam Sahyog HOP TAC First India Vietnam Coast Guard Exercise, held in 2018 in the Bay of Bengal.
IND-INDO India-Indonesia coordinated patrol (IND-INDO CORPAT), bi-annual exercise, started in
9. Indonesia
CORPAT 2002, 32nd edition held at Belawan, Indonesia in Oct, 2018.
It is an annual exercise between the Navies of Singapore & India since 1994. It stands
10. Singapore SIMBEX
for Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX).
11. Myanmar IMCOR Indo-Myanmar Coordinated Patrol (IMCOR), held annually since 2013.
Indian Air Force:
S. Partner
Exercise name Remarks
No. Nation
This is an important aspect of the Indo-French bilateral military cooperation, which is a
1. France Ex GARUDA
cornerstone of the strategic partnership between France and India, established in 1998.
Ex EASTERN
2. Oman Conducted between the IAF and RAFO (Royal Air Force of Oman)
BRIDGE
Started in 2014, conducted biannually. The exercise is targetted towards anti-terrorist
3. Russia Ex AVIAINDRA-18
operations.
5. Thailand SIAM BHARAT Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) exercise.
A bilateral air combat exercise provides exposure towards mission planning and
6. UAE Ex DESERT EAGLE
execution in a simulated high threat combat environment.
Ex To enhance to mutual operational understanding between IAF and Royal Air Force. Four
7. UK
INDRADHANUSH editions so far viz. 2006, 2007, 2010, and 2015.
It is 2-week aerial combat exercise organized by the Indian Air Force. It offers air combat
8. USA Ex RED FLAG
training to military pilots from the USA and its allies

Defence Exam Green Card: Access to 200+ Mock Test

Multilateral Exercises:
They are those exercise which consists of more than one military partners.
Exercise
S.No. Remarks
Name
It is the world’s largest maritime exercise. It was first conducted in 1971 and is held biannually near
Honolulu, Hawaii (USA).
1. RIMPAC
The Exercise is overlooked by the US Navy’s Pacific fleet. The recent 2018 edition saw 26 countries
participating which included India.
An annual trilateral naval exercise involving the United States, Japan, and India as permanent partners. It
2. MALABAR originally began in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between India and the US. Later in 2015, Japan became a
permanent partner
First joint military exercise between BIMSTEC countries, conducted in Pune, Maharashtra. All member
3. MILEX-18 BIMSTEC countries, except Thailand and Nepal, took an active part in this exercise. The main aim is to
promote practices in areas of counter terrorism.
PEACE A Counter Terror Military Exercise, held in Russia in September 2018, under the framework of Shanghai
4.
MISSION Cooperation Organisation (SCO). For the first time, arch-rivals India and Pakistan took part in it.
Samvedna- The first multilateral Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise of Indian Air Force (IAF)
5.
2018 in association with South Asian Region nations, was held off the coast of Kerala.
Ex COBRA
6. It is the largest Asia-Pacific military exercise held in Thailand every year.
GOLD
Started in 1993, it is a multilateral regional maritime engagement exercise hosted by the Royal Australian
7. KAKADU
Navy. It derives its name from the Kakadu National Park.
It stands for ASEAN Regional Forum Disaster Relief Exercise (ARF DiR Ex). It is aimed at organizing a large-
8. ARF DiR Ex scale disaster relief exercise. It was 1st held in 2009, & takes place biannually. It is co-hosted by one
ASEAN member states and one non-ASEAN ARF member.
A biennial multilateral Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise, conducted for the first
9. Ex KOMODO
time by the Indonesian Navy in April 2014 at Batam, Indonesia.

23
 www.gradeup.co

Domestic Exercise:
They are aimed at improving the internal engagements amongst various departments. They can be inter-services
or intra-service depending on its nature and its application.
S.NO.EXERCISE REMARKS
Conducted by the Chetak corps of South Western Command of Indian Army in Mahajan field
1. GANDIV VIJAY firing ranges of Rajasthan in May 2018. It was based on offensive operations through joint air-
land battle in a network-centric environment employing modern technology.
Conducted by the South Western Command of Indian Army. The month-long exercise was
2. VIJAY PRAHAR aimed to orchestrate a wide spectrum of threats which are planned to be tackled through
high tempo joint air and land operation.
Tri-service maritime exercise, conducted by Indian Navy off western coast in the Arabian Sea.
PASCHIM
3. The exercise is aimed at improving the interoperability between the Indian Navy, Indian Army,
LEHAR-18
Indian Air Force, and Coast Guard.
Vayu Shakti It is an Air Force Exercise conducted once in every 3 years. It was previously held in 2016
4.
2019 codenamed ‘Iron Fist’. It is a firepower demonstration exercise held at Pokhran, Rajasthan.

***

24