Current Affairs Questions

Explanation :

• Arrow 2 is an advanced missile defence system developed jointly by Israel and US.
• It is part of the multi-layered system Israel has developed to defend against both short- and mid-range rockets fired from Gaza and Lebanon, as well as Iran's long-range missiles. It includes Iron Dome, David's Sling and the Arrow-3 system - capable of defending against threats from outside the atmosphere.
• It is a two-stage missile equipped with solid propellant booster and sustainer rocket motors.
• The United States and Israel signed a memorandum of understanding as part of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) to co-develop and co-fund the Arrow program on May 6, 1986.
• The Arrow missiles family was designed for a theater missile defense system that would be more effective against ballistic missiles than the MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile.
• Arrow 2 is able to intercept its targets above the stratosphere, high enough so that any nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons do not scatter over Israel.

Explanation :

• On April 26^th, 2020, the premier multilateral air combat training Exercise Pitch Black 2020 scheduled from July 27 to August 14, 2020, was cancelled by Australia due to the current and anticipated impacts of the worldwide pandemic of COVID-19.
• The next edition is scheduled in 2022.
• In the last edition of Pitch Black in 2018, the Indian Air Force (IAF) had for the first-time deployed fighter aircraft for the exercise.

About Pitch Black

• Exercise Pitch Black is the Royal Australian Air Force’s biennial capstone International Engagement activity with forces participating from a wide range of regional, coalition and allied nations developing and enhancing military relationships at all levels.
• It is an international enhancement activity with forces participating from a wide range of regional, coalition and allied nations developing and enhancing military relationships at all levels.

It aims to provide a unique opportunity for an exchange of knowledge and experience with Offensive Counter Air (OCA) and Defensive Counter Air (DCA) combat practice in a simulated war environment.

Explanation :

• The Patriot (MIM-104) is a long-range, all-altitude, all-weather air defence system to counter tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and advanced aircraft.
• The Patriot System replaced the Nike Hercules system as the U.S. Army's primary High to Medium Air Defense (HIMAD) system, and replaced the MIM-23 Hawk system as the U.S. Army's medium tactical air defense system.
• The missile has a range of 70km and a maximum altitude greater than 24km.
• It is equipped with a track-via-missile (TVM) guidance system.
• Midcourse correction commands are transmitted to the guidance system from the mobile engagement control centre.

Explanation :

• Hypersonic weapons refer to weapons that travel faster than Mach 5 and have the capability to maneuver during the entire flight.
• Hypersonic weapons incorporate the speed of a ballistic missile with the maneuvering capabilities of a cruise missile.
• These missiles are capable of delivering conventional or nuclear payloads at ultra-high velocities over long ranges.
• Hypersonic missiles are delivered in two ways: (1) they can be fired from the last stages of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) or Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBM) and skip along the top of the atmosphere using specialized jet engines to accelerate to hypersonic speeds; or (2) they can be launched independently or released from a bomber—similar to cruise missiles—before accelerating to ultra-high speeds.
• Hypersonic vehicles typically consist of a Supersonic Combustion Ramjet, or Scramjet propulsion system to enable such high speeds.

Explanation :

• Exercise Dharma Guardian is an annual training event which is being conducted in India since 2018.
• It will be conducted at counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School, Vairengte, Mizoram from 19^th October to 2^nd November, 2019.
• Indian Army and Japanese Ground Self Defence Forces (JGSDF) comprising 25 soldiers each will participate in the exercise with an aim to share experience gained during various Counter Terrorism operations.
• The scope of this exercise covers platoon level joint training on counter terrorism operations in jungle and urban scenario.

Significance

• Exercise Dharma Guardian with Japan is crucial and significant in terms of security challenges faced by both the nations in the backdrop of global terrorism.
• The joint military exercise will enhance the level of defence co-operation between Indian Army and Japanese Ground Self Defence Forces (JGSDF) which in turn will further foster the bilateral relations between the two nations.

Explanation :

• The bilateral naval exercise initiated in 1983 and christened as ‘Varuna’ in 2001, form a vital part of the Indo-French strategic partnership.
• The Varuna exercise aims at developing interoperability between the two navies and fostering mutual cooperation by learning from each other’s best practices to conduct joint operations.

Explanation :

• INS Kolkata and Shakti are participating in the International Fleet Review being held by the Chinese as part of 70th Anniversary celebrations of PLA (Navy) being held. Hence, statement 1 & 3 are incorrect.
• International Fleet Review (IFR) is a parade of naval ships, aircraft and submarines, and is organised by nations to promote goodwill, strengthen cooperation and showcase their organisational capabilities.
• IFR also serves as an ideal platform for world’s navies to showcase their prowess and indigenous ship designing and ship building capabilities in a global/ international arena.

Explanation :

Cryptojacking is a technique to harass the victims by using their computers to mine the crypto currency which the victims are unaware of. In February 2018, Cryptojacking script “WannaMine” had spread to the computers all over the world.

Purpose of the Question:

RBI, in July 2018, had issued a circular that crypto currency will boost the illegal transactions and hence people should refrain from using it.

Source: TH