Defense

Abhinandan, then 35, scripted military aviation history by downing an F-16, seconds before his own MiG-21 Bison was hit by a missile forcing him to eject. Experts then hailed it as the first-ever kill of an F-16 by a MiG-21 Bison, fighter jets of two different generations. He was captured after he bailed out of his aircraft. Pakistan eventually returned him to India on March 1, 2019, after holding him captive for almost 60 hours.

Two flight tests of indigenously-developed smart anti-airfield weapon have been carried out jointly by Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Air Force (IAF). The two different configurations based on satellite navigation and electro optical sensors have been successfully tested. Electro optical seeker based flight test of this class of bomb has been conducted for the first time in the country. The electro optic sensor has been developed indigenously. The weapon was launched by an IAF aircraft from Chandan ranges at Jaisalmer, Rajasthan on October 28, 2021 and November 03, 2021.

Air forces of India and Egypt conducted a two-day exercise at the latter’s El Berigat airbase to enhance mutual understanding and share operational experie

Key approvals of procurement from domestic sources include twelve Light Utility Helicopters from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL); Lynx U2 Fire Control System from Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) which will enhance the detection tracking and engagement capabilities of Naval war ships and Mid Life Upgradation of the Dornier Aircraft from HAL to increase the Naval capacity of maritime reconnaissance and coastal surveillance.

Indian weapons company SSS Defence will begin manufacturing and testing small arms at its new facility that will be operational in Bengaluru in January 2022, with the complex also housing a first-of-its kind underground weapons testing tunnel to determine their effectiveness, the firm’s CEO Vivek Krishnan said on Monday.

Sources said the troops had been pre-acclimatised. They said the troops, “along with specialist vehicles and missile detachments, were transported via C-130 and AN 32 aircraft from five different mounting bases to validate inter-theatre move, precision stand-off drops, rapid grouping and capture of designated objectives with speed and surprise”.

It is understood that INS Vela, the fourth out of six INS Kalveri class diesel attack submarines, will also be commissioned before the end of this month most likely by external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar or by outgoing Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh. Both the vessels have been built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders with INS Vela being designed by the French naval group.

Indian small arms firm SSS Defence has defeated Israeli firm Fab Defense, also known as Zahal, to bag a contract to upgrade a limited number of Kalashnikov rifles with a unit of the Indian Special Forces, ThePrint has learnt.