December 2021

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Air Force (IAF) flight-tested the indigenously designed and developed Helicopter launched Stand-off Anti-tank (SANT) Missile from Pokhran ranges on December 11, 2021. The flight-test was successful in meeting all its mission objectives. The release mechanism, advanced guidance and tracking algorithms, all avionics with integrated software, performed satisfactorily and tracking systems monitored all mission events.

Successful tests of Pinaka Extended Range (Pinaka-ER), Area Denial Munitions (ADM) and indigenously developed fuzes have been carried out at various test ranges. The Pinaka-ER Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher System was successfully tested at Pokharan range. The system is jointly designed by laboratories of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) - Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune.

General Bipin Rawat and I are course mates from the National Defence Academy. We have been in several appointments together. We were together posted as Platoon Commanders at Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.

Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) today formally recognized Tata-Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Limited (TLMAL) as a potential future co-producer of fighter wings. A ceremonial event marking the first fighter wing prototype built at the TLMAL facility in Hyderabad was attended by Shri. K.T.

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, on Wednesday, along with his wife and eleven others died in Indian Air Force helicopter crash. He was on a visit to Defence Services Staff College, Wellington (Nilgiri Hills) to address the faculty and student officers of the Staff Course today.

Air version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test fired from the supersonic fighter aircraft Sukhoi 30 MK-I at 1030 hrs from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha on December 08, 2021. In this copy book flight, the missile launched from the aircraft followed the pre-planned trajectory meeting all mission objectives.

After much deliberations and delay, India, on Monday, signed the contract for the indigenous production of the AK-203 assault rifle with Russia. The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the India-Russia Summit. Russian President Vladimir Putin is visiting India for the annual India-Russia Summit talks.