Theme : Defence Technology Basics

Science
and
Tech

Arvind Singh Rajpurohit

Arvind_Unacademy 1
About Me!
• UPSC Journey : • Work Experience : I have more than 8
1. Given 5 Mains of UPSC CSE years of teaching experience
2. In 2019 UPSC Prelims scored 143.34/200 1. Currently , working as Joint Director in
Marks H.V. Desai Competitive Exam Centre
3. In 2018 Scored 296/500 marks in Political 2. Have taught various subjects in different
Science and International Relations institutes of Pune such as Jnana
4. In 2016 total of all GS Subjects : 426/1000 Prabodhini , Pune University CEC etc
Marks 3. Worked as Associate Software Engineer
at Symantec.
• Subject Taught :
1. Theme-Wise/Weekly Current Affairs • Educational Qualification :
2. Political Science and International 1. BE- IT from Pune Institute of Computer
Relations Technology
3. GS 2 – Polity, Governance and 2. LLB from New Law College Pune
International Relations 3. MA – in History and Political Science
4. Science and Technology 4. UGC- NET JRF in Political Science
5. MBA in Finance from Pune University

Other Interests :
1. Travelling : Travelled 10 Countries , more than 15 Indian
states
Arvind_unacademy 2
2. Watching TV Series
Arvind_unacademy 3
Defence Technology

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 Jet Engines
• Difference between a Jet and Rocket
engine?
➢ Rocket carries its own supply of oxygen (Oxidizer
Tank)
➢ Jet engine utilizes oxygen from the atmosphere
for combustion, this makes rocket engine less
energy efficient
• Jet Engine
➢ Converts liquid fuel into a powerful pushing force
called thrust.
➢ Thrust pushes a plane forward, forcing air past its
scientifically shaped wings to create an upward
force called lift
• A Jet Engine has 3 main processes:
➢ Compression: Increases the pressure of the air
trapped inside the chamber.
➢ Combustion: Increases the temperature of the
air-fuel mixture by releasing heat energy from
the fuel
➢ Exhaust: Increases the velocity of the exhaust
gases, thereby powering the vehicle.(Newton’s
third law of motion) 5
 How does a jet engine work?
• Jet engines move the airplane forward with a 6. As the hot air is going to the nozzle, it passes
great force that is produced by a tremendous through another group of blades called the
thrust and causes the plane to fly very fast. turbine.
1. The engine sucks air in at the front with a fan. 7. The turbine is attached to the same shaft as
2. A compressor raises the pressure of the air. the compressor. Spinning the turbine causes
The compressor is made with many blades the compressor to spin.
attached to a shaft. The blades spin at high • What is Thrust?
speed and compress or squeeze the air. ➢ Thrust is the forward force that pushes the engine
and, therefore, the airplane forward.
3. The compressed air is then sprayed with fuel
and an electric spark lights the mixture. ➢ Sir Isaac Newton discovered that for "every action
there is an equal and opposite reaction." An engine
4. The burning gases expand and blast out uses this principle.
through the nozzle, at the back of the engine.
5. As the jets of gas shoot backward, the engine
and the aircraft are thrust forward.

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7
 Ramjets
• The ramjet is the most • The ramjet develops very
simple jet engine and has no little thrust below the speed
moving parts. of sound.
• The speed of the jet "rams" • As a consequence, a ramjet
or forces air into the engine. vehicle requires some form
• It is essentially a turbojet in of assisted takeoff, such as
which rotating machinery another aircraft or rocket
has been omitted. assist .
• Its application is restricted • It has been used primarily in
guided-missile systems.
by the fact that its
compression ratio depends • Ramjets work most
wholly on forward speed. efficiently at supersonic
• High-speed forward motion speeds around Mach 3 and
is used to compress the air can operate up to speeds of
(no compressor). Mach 6.
• Fuel is injected into the • However, the ramjet
combustion chamber where efficiency starts to drop
it mixes with the hot when the vehicle reaches
compressed air and ignites. hypersonic speeds.
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 Scramjet - Supersonic Combustion Ramjet
• Why in News?
➢ ISRO’s Scramjet Engine Technology Demonstrator Successfully
Flight Tested ( Aug 2016 )
• A scramjet is a supersonic combusting ramjet). Variant of
ramjet jet engine in which combustion takes place in
supersonic airflow
• Here also, the high-speed forward motion is used to
compress the air (no compressor)
• it efficiently operates at hypersonic speeds and allows
supersonic combustion. Speed is greater than 6 Mach (Six
times the speed of Sound)
• Scramjet engine designed by ISRO uses Hydrogen as fuel
and the Oxygen from the atmospheric air as the Oxidizer:
Much lighter, more efficient
• scramjet engine cannot work until it attains enough speed
• A dual mode ramjet (DMRJ) is a type of jet engine where a
ramjet transforms into scramjet over Mach 4-8 range, which
means it can efficiently operate both in subsonic and
supersonic combustor modes. 9
HYPERSONIC TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION VEHICLE (HSTDV)
• Why in News ?
➢India successfully tested the hypersonic technology
demonstration vehicle. ( Sep 2020 )
➢The primary aim of the demonstration vehicle was to
test the indigenously developed propulsion system-
airbreathing Scramjet engine.
• About :
➢The test was performed by Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO).
➢The test flight took off from the APJ Abdul Kalam
Launch Complex (at Wheeler Island), off the Odisha
coast, and, after separating from its launch vehicle at
an altitude of 30 km, flew at Mach 6 for more than 22
seconds.
➢Apart from India, only three countries have flown a
vehicle at hypersonic speeds in the atmosphere
Russia, USA and China
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The Hypersonic flight poses two major
challenges:
1. Air being rammed into the engine at high speeds makes it difficult to
simultaneously inject fuel and burn the mixture without the flame
being extinguished by the air blast.
• This was overcome by developing technologies like hypersonic air
intake system and supersonic combustor.
2. To ensure that the skin of the vehicle remains cool during the
hypersonic phase of the flight. (The skin generally heats up due
friction in the atmosphere.)
• This was overcome by developing materials which can withstand high
temperatures and creating computational tools to simulate the
hypersonic flow and temperature profile.
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12
 Ballistic Missile
• A ballistic missile follows a ballistic trajectory to
deliver one or more warheads on a predetermined
target.
• A ballistic trajectory is the path of an object that is
launched but has no active propulsion during its
actual flight (these weapons are guided only
during relatively brief periods of flight).
• Consequently, the trajectory is fully determined by
a given initial velocity, effects of gravity, air
resistance, and motion of the earth (Coriolis
Force).
• Shorter range ballistic missiles stay within
the Earth’s atmosphere.
• Longer-ranged intercontinental ballistic
missiles (ICBMs), are launched on a sub-orbital
flight trajectory and spend most of their flight out
of the atmosphere.
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 Types of ballistic missiles based on the range
1. Short-range (tactical) ballistic missile (SRBM):
Range between 300 km and 1,000 km.
2. Medium-range (theatre) ballistic missile (MRBM):
1,000 km to 3,500 km.
3. Intermediate-range (Long-Range) ballistic missile
(IRBM or LRBM): 3,500 km and 5,500 km.
4. Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM): 5,500 km +

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 Cruise missile
• A cruise missile is a guided missile (target has to be
pre-set) used against terrestrial targets.
• It remains in the atmosphere throughout its flight.
• It flies the major portion of its flight path at
approximately constant speed.
• Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large
warhead over short distances with high precision.
• Modern cruise missiles are capable of travelling at
supersonic or high subsonic speeds, are self-
navigating, and are able to fly on a non-ballistic,
extremely low-altitude trajectory.
• Many cruise missiles follow a mixed trajectory.
• Once they are launched, they fly at high altitude for
optimum range and when they approach their
target, they climb down to a few meters altitude
and make their final approach towards the target.
• This offers the range advantage of high altitude
flight and the radar evading ability of the sea
skimming flight.
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 Types of cruise missiles based on speed
1. Hypersonic (Mach 5): these missiles would
travel at least five times the speed of sound
(Mach 5). E.g. BrahMos-II.
2. Supersonic (Mach 2-3): these missiles travel
faster than the speed of sound. E.g.
BrahMos.
3. Subsonic (Mach 0.8): these missiles travel
slower than the speed of sound. E.g.
Nirbhay.

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 Integrated Guided Missile Development
Programme (IGMDP)
• IGMDP was conceived by Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam to enable India attain self-
sufficiency in missile technology.
• IGMDP was conceived in response to the Missile Technology Control
Regime that decided to restrict access to any technology that would help
India in its missile development program.
• To counter the MTCR, the IGMDP team formed a consortium of DRDO
laboratories, industries and academic institutions to build these sub-
systems, components and materials.
• IGMDP was started in 1983 and completed in March 2012.
• Keeping in mind the requirements of various types of missiles by the
defence forces, the development of five missile systems was taken up.
1. Prithvi: Short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile (Prithivi means Earth
Surface to Surface)
2. Agni: Intermediate-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile
3. Trishul: Short-range low-level surface-to-air missile
4. Akash: Medium-range surface-to-air missile
5. Nag: Third generation anti-tank missile (Nag means Snake , Nag slithers like a
Snake to hit a tank!)
• After its success, the Agni missile program was separated from the IGMDP
upon realizing its strategic importance.
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MTCR (Missile Technology Control Regime )
• India got membership in the group in • Consensus based grouping of countries
2016 (contrary to NSG where India was who are voluntarily committed to the
denied membership) non-proliferation of missiles capable of
• Multilateral: 35 member countries carrying chemical, biological and
nuclear weapons of mass destruction
• MTCR an informal grouping established (WMDs).
in 1987 by Canada, France, Germany, • Limitations:
Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and
the United States to limit the ➢China is not a member of this regime
proliferation of missiles and missile ➢It is not a legally-binding treaty
technology. • Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic
• The MTCR seeks to limit the risks of Missile Proliferation (HCOC)
proliferation of weapons of mass ➢Formerly known as “The International
destruction (WMD). Code of Conduct” (ICOC)
➢Meant to supplement the Missile
• MTCR places particular focus on rockets Technology Control Regime (MTCR)
and unmanned aerial vehicles capable ➢Membership is not restricted
of delivering a payload of at least 500 kg
to a range of at least 300 km. 19
20
 Prithvi-II missile
Payload
• Prithvi-II is indigenously Name Version Range
developed nuclear-capable in kg
surface-to-surface ballistic missile
• Prithvi II is the first missile to be
Army
Prithvi I 150 km 1000
developed by DRDO under India’s version
IGMDP (Integrated Guided Missile
Development Programme) Air force
Prithvi II 350 km 500
version
Prithvi Naval
600 km 1000
III version
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 Agni-V Missile Name Type Range Payload in kg

Agni-I MRBM 700 – 900 km 1,000

• Agni-5, India’s nuclear
capable missile, was Agni-II MRBM 2,000 – 3,000 km 750 – 1,000
recently successfully
test fired. Agni-III IRBM 3,500 – 5,000 km 2,000 – 2,500
• Agni- 5 is the Agni-IV IRBM 3,000 – 4,000 km 800 – 1,000
intercontinental
surface-to-surface 1,500 (3 – 10
Agni-V ICBM 5,000 – 8,000 km (Testing)
nuclear capable MIRV)
ballistic missile.
8,000 – 10,000 km (Under 1,000 (10
Agni-VI ICBM
development) MIRV)

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23
MIRV: Multiple Independently targetable Re-entry
Vehicle

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UPSC 2014
With reference to Agni-IV Missile, which of the following statement(s) is/are
correct?
1. It is surface-to-surface missile.
2. It is fuelled by liquid propellant only.
3. It can deliver one tonne nuclear warhead about 7500 km away.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Arvind_Unacademy 25
 Some additional defence system
• Anti-Tank Guided Missile - Nag • Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM)
➢ The Anti-Tank Guided Missile Nag was successfully ➢ The Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM)
flight tested. is being developed by India's Defence Research and
➢ Nag is a third-generation, fire-and-forget, anti-tank Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration
guided missile developed by DRDO to support both with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)
mechanised infantry and airborne forces of the Indian ➢ anti-air warfare capability for Indian Navy
Army
➢ Helicopter-launched NAG (HELINA). • Barak-8 :
➢ The Barak-8 Air and Missile Defence system or LRSAM
• India’s first unmanned tank Muntra provides a 360-degree defence against various
➢ Muntra is India’s first unmanned tank developed by airborne threats. Complemented by a state-of-the-art
the Defence Research and Development Organisation multi-mission radar, flexible control and command
(DRDO) system, and two-way data link, Barak-8 can engage
multiple targets at the same time during day and
• Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile (QRSAM) night in all weather conditions, which makes it a lethal
➢ The QR-SAM weapon system has been jointly weapon.
developed by the Defence Research and ➢ India – Israel Partnership
Development Organisation (DRDO) and Bharat
Electronics Ltd • K-4 Missile
➢ QRSAM is a Short Range Surface to Air Missile system ➢ It is intermediate-range, nuclear-capable submarine-
designed to protect moving armoured columns from launched ballistic missile (SLBM) with 3,500-km
aerial attacks. range.
➢ The entire weapon system is configured on highly ➢ It is developed by DRDO and will be inducted to
mobile platforms and is capable of Arihant-class submarines.
providing air defence on the move.
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 Mission Shakti & Anti-satellite weapons (ASAT)
Why in News?
➢On march 27th, India completed its first
successful attempt at shooting a satellite
in lower earth orbit (LEO). In doing so,
India has become the fourth country
after the US, Russia and China to acquire
the capability of space warfare. ( 2019 )
• The ASAT missile destroyed a live
satellite in Low Earth orbit (283-
kilometre).
• As per DRDO, the missile is capable of
shooting down targets moving at a
speed of 10 km per second at an
altitude as high as 1200 km.
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International treaties Regarding Outer Space
• UN Outer Space Treaty 1967: It prohibits only weapons of mass
destruction in outer space, not ordinary weapons. India ratified it in 1982.
• UN Transparency and Confidence Building Measures(TCBMs)-It includes
registering space objects with the UN register, pre-launch notifications etc.
India is sharing these details with UN.
• Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) is an
international governmental forum for the worldwide coordination of
activities related to the issues of man-made and natural debris in space.
➢India participates in IADC-activities with regard to space debris management,
undertaking SOPA (Space Object Proximity Awareness and COLA (Collision
Avoidance) Analysis.
• India has supported UN resolution on No First Placement of Weapons on
Outer Space.

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The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty
• Why in News ?
➢On 2nd August 2019 The United States withdrew from from a landmark Cold War-era arms
control treaty, Intermediate- Range Nuclear Forces (INF), citing Russian noncompliance.
Russia consequently also withdrew from INF.
• INF Treaty was signed between USA and the then USSR in 1987.
• It completely bans Russia and USA from possessing, producing or conducting test
flights of ground-launched cruise missiles and ballistic missiles with a range of
500 to 5,500 kilometers.
• It allows sea-based and air-delivered missiles at those ranges as well as research
and development of ground- launched systems.
• Impact of INF treaty
➢The treaty marked the first time the superpowers had agreed to reduce their nuclear
arsenals, eliminate an entire category of nuclear weapons, and utilize extensive on-site
inspections for verification.
➢As a result, USA and the Soviet Union destroyed a total of 2,692 short, medium-, and
intermediate-range missiles by the treaty's implementation deadline of June 1, 1991.

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New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty )Treaty
• Why in News?
➢ Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow was
unilaterally suspending the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty
with the U.S., stating that the West was trying to destroy Russia. ( Feb
2023 )
➢ U.S. extends New START nuclear arms treaty with Russia ( Feb 2021 )
• The New START Treaty is a treaty between the United States of
America and the Russian Federation on measures for the further
reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms.
• It entered into force on 5th February, 2011.
• Terms of the treaty:
➢ Number of strategic nuclear missile launchers will be reduced by half.
➢ A new inspection and verification regime will be established, replacing
the SORT mechanism.
➢ The number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads is limited to 1,550.
➢ Number of deployed and non-deployed inter-continental ballistic missile
(ICBM) launchers, submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM)
launchers, and heavy bombers equipped for nuclear armaments to 700
will be limited.
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 Pralay Missile
• Why in News?
➢Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has
successfully conducted maiden flight test of a
new indigenously developed surface-to-surface missile
‘Pralay’. ( Dec 2021 )
• About: Pralay' is India's first conventional quasi-ballistic
missile and is an answer to any conventional missile
attack from northern or western borders.
➢A quasi-ballistic missile has a low trajectory, and while it
is largely ballistic, it can maneuver in flight.
➢The missile has been developed in a way that it is able
to defeat the interceptor missiles and also has the ability
to change its path after covering a certain range mid-air.
➢It is powered with a solid propellant rocket motor and many
new technologies.
➢The missile guidance system includes state-of-the-art
navigation system and integrated avionics. 31
Anti Radiation Missile: Rudram-1
• Why in News from being jammed.
➢ The Defence Research and Development • About Rudram-1:
Organisation (DRDO) has successfully flight ➢ Development and Test: It is an air-to-
tested indigenously developed Anti surface missile, designed and developed
Radiation Missile (Rudram-1). ( Oct 2020 ) by the DRDO.
• About Anti Radiation Missiles: ➢ DRDO conducted a successful test of
➢ Aim: These are designed to detect, track the New Generation Anti Radiation
and neutralise the adversary’s radar, Missile (NGRAM) also called the Rudram-
communication assets and other radio 1 at the Integrated Test Range
frequency sources, which are generally (ITR) in Balasore (Odisha).
part of their air defence systems. ➢ Rudram-1 is the first indigenous anti-
➢ These can locate and target any radiation radiation missile of the country.
emitting source. Capability: Once the missile locks on the
➢ These can play a key role in neutralising target, it is capable of striking accurately
any jamming platforms of the enemy or even if the radiation source switches off in
take out radar stations thereby clearing a between.
path for own fighters to carry out an
offensive and also prevent own systems
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Arvind_Unacademy 33
 MULTI-LAYERED AIR DEFENCE
SYSTEM FOR DELHI
• India is developing a multi-layered air
defence system for its cities besides
air defence system for tactical battle
areas.
i. 1st layer: 2-tier Ballistic Missile
Defence ( BMD ) System
ii. 2nd Layer: S-400 layered defence
system
iii. 3rd Layer: Barak-8 long and medium
range SAM
iv. 4th Layer: Akash medium-range
surface to air missile system
v. 5th Layer: NASAMS-2
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 S-400
• Why in News?
➢ Deliveries of Russian S-400 defence system have begun (
Dec 2021 )
• S-400 is known as Russia’s most advanced long-
range surface-to-air missile defence system.
• S-400 layered defence system can intercept all types
of aerial targets including aircraft, unmanned aerial
vehicles (UAV), and ballistic and cruise missiles up to
the range of 400km, at an altitude of up to 30km
• Capable of firing three types of missiles to create a
layered defence.
• Iron Dome: Israeli SHORT-RANGE AIR DEFENSE
• USA is offering THAAD and Patriot as alternative to
S-400 to India.
• Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)
➢ United States Army antiballistic missile system
➢ It is designed to intercept and destroy short and medium-
range ballistic missiles in their final flight phase.
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 How it works ?
1. Long-range surveillance radar
tracks objects and relays
information to command
vehicle, which assesses
potential targets
2. Target is identified and
command vehicle orders
missile launch
3. Launch data are sent to the
best placed launch vehicle and
it releases surface-to-air
missiles
4. Engagement radar helps guide
missiles towards target

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Arvind_Unacademy 37
 NASAMS-2 (National Advanced Surface to Air
Missile System-II )
• Why in News?
➢ India isacquiring NASAMS-2 from US. ( June 2019 )
• NASAMS 2 will form the inner-most layer of Delhi Area
Air Defence Plan that has been conceived of.
• It will be deployed to protect vital assets and people in
the National Capital region of Delhi including
President’s house, Parliament etc.
• It renders quick-reaction 3-dimensional protection at
low altitudes of 5 km to various types of aerial threats
ranging from drones to ballistic missiles.
• FEATURES
➢ 12 multi-missile launchers to launch both advanced
medium-range air-to-air missiles AMRAAMs and Stinger
surface-air-missiles
➢ Sentinel X-band 3D radars
➢ 4 Fire distribution centres
➢ Advanced electro-optical/infrared sensor system vehicles.
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