MODULE 04
DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY 01
-Shahan
FUNDAMENTALS : Important Terms and technologies related to defense
(will be discussed in class )
Ballistic Missile vs. Cruise Missile
Various Launch Modes of Missile
Missiles based on Speed
Missile Range Designations
Intermediate
Category Short Range Medium Range Long Range
Range
Ballistic Missiles Up to 1,000 km 1,000 – 3,000 km 3,000 – 5,500 km > 5,500 km
SAM / AA Up to 30 km 30 – 100 km 100 – 250 km > 250 km
SRBM Short-range ballistic missile
<1,000 km (621 mi)
MRBM Medium-range ballistic missile 1,000-3,000 km
(621-1,864 mi)
IRBM Intermediate-range ballistic missile
3,000-5,500 km (1,864-3,418 mi)
ICBM Intercontinental ballistic missile
>5,500 km (3,418 mi)
SLBM Submarine-launched ballistic missile
Warheads
• Conventional Warheads: Use chemical explosives like TNT or RDX to generate a
blast
• Nuclear Warheads: Utilize nuclear fission fusion to release an immense amount of
energy.
Among different forms of chemical explosives, trinitrotoluene (TNT), hexahydro-trinitro -
triazine (RDX), and octahydro--tetranitro--tetrazocine (HMX) are most common.
JET ENGINE
WORKING
• Sucks in air from front with fan
• A compressor raises the pressure
of the air
• Then the compressed air is ignited
• Gas expands and comes out
nozzle
• Engine/Aircraft thrusts forward
Ramjet
▪ A type of air breathing engine.
▪ Fuel is injected and ignited (No
turbines).
▪ Combustion at subsonic speeds.
▪ Reduced fuel efficiency.
Scramjet
▪ A type of air breathing engine.
▪ Combustion at supersonic velocities.
▪ Fuel - Hydrogen fuel
▪ India is fourth country (USA,
Russia and ESA)
UPSC 2008 Prelims
Consider the following statements in respect of a jet engine and a rocket:
1. A jet engine uses the surrounding air for its oxygen supply and so is
unsuitable for motion in space.
2. A rocket carries its own supply of oxygen in the gas form and fuel, and hence
it can move in space.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Project Indigo : DRDO’s 1st major defence project.
Integrated Guided-Missile Development
Programme (IGMDP) (will be discussed in class )
1. AGNI
▪ Family of Short to intercontinental range ballistic missiles
▪ Already have ICBM - US, China, Russia, UK, France and Israel.
2014 UPSC Prelims
With reference to Agni-IV Missile, which of the following statements is/are
correct?
1. It is a surface-to-surface missile.
2. It is fuelled by liquid propellant only
3. It can deliver one-tonne nuclear warheads about 7500 km away.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
A. 1 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
#Recent update
Mar 12, 2024
• 1st time the indigenously developed Agni-5 missile integrated MIRV
technology.
• The test flight of Agni-5 marked the first time that the MIRV
technology was tested in India, which aims to deploy multiple
warheads at different locations in a single launch.
MIRV Technology
Multiple Independently-targetable Re-entry
Vehicle.
● MIRV allows a single missile to
carry multiple warheads (3-4),
each capable of targeting different
locations independently.
● Nations possessing MIRV
technology include US, UK, France,
Russia, China, and India
#Recent update
Sep 25, 2025
Key Points to note :
Agni-Prime (Agni-P)
Developed by: Designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation
Key Features:
• A next-generation, nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile.
• It is the sixth missile in the Agni series.
• Operational range of 1,000–2,000 km
• Weighing 11,000 kg, it is a two-stage, solid-fuel missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads
• Rail-based mobility: Can move freely across national rail networks, reducing predictability of launch
sites.
• Canisterised system: Ensures faster deployment, storage safety, and longer shelf life.
Significance:
• Strategic Deterrence: Places India among select nations with rail-based canisterised launch systems.
• Unrestricted Mobility: The launcher can traverse the entire rail network without any pre-conditions or
restrictions, allowing for rapid redeployment.
2. PRITHVI
▪ Short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile.
▪ Uses either liquid or both liquid and solid fuels
and are capable of carrying conventional as well
as nuclear warhead.
Prithvi I (SS-150)
Prithvi III (SS-750)
- Army version Naval version Dhanush
Prahaar (Strike) missile (Bow) is a variant of the
surface-to-surface/ship-
to-ship
Prithvi II (SS – 350 )
- Air Force version (350 km)
Pragati surface to
surface missile (SSM)
The Export version of
Prahaar known as "Pragati"
3. TRISHUL
▪ Short range surface-to-air missile
▪ Currently not in service.
4. AKASH
▪ Medium range Surface-to-
Air missile with a radar
called Rajendra.
▪ Multi-target engagement
capacity.
▪ Speed ~ 2.5 mach
▪ Range ~ 25 km
#Recent update
June 28, 2025
5. NAG
▪ Anti-tank missile.
▪ Range - 4km.
▪ Land Version : NAMICA (Nag Missile Carrier )
▪ HELINA : Helicopter launched Nag
▪ DHRUVASTRA : A variant of the HELINA which is inducted into the IAF.
OTHER MISSILES
ASTRA
▪ First indigenously developed air-to-
air missile missile of India
▪ It works on the Beyond Visual
Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM)
technology that enables the fighter-
pilots to shoot precisely at the enemy
targets which are beyond their visual
range.
▪ The specifications of the missile
are:
○ Speed: 4.5 mach
○ Range: 70 km
Anti-Satellite Weapons (ASAT) MISSION SHAKTI
▪ Joint programme of DRDO and ISRO.
▪ To develop highly potent Anti-satellite
weapons (ASAT) - missile-based system
to attack moving satellites
▪ Can be air, sea or land based
▪ Capable of shooting down targets
moving at a speed of 10 km/s
▪ India is the 4th country after US, Russia
and China
Rudram
● 1ST indigenous anti-radiation missile of the country.
● Range: up to 200 km
● Speeds of 0.6 to 2 mach.
Pinaka
▪ Indigenous multi-barrel rocket
launch system, for the Indian Army
by DRDO
▪ Range : Upto 75 km
▪ Speed – 4.7 mach
BRAHMOS MISSILE SYSTEM
● Joint venture between DRDO and Russia.
○ Named after the rivers Brahmaputra
(India) and Moskva (Russia).
● Two-stage
● Range ~ 300 km
● Speed - Mach 2.8
● Can be launched from land, air, and sea
● One of the fastest cruise missiles currently
operationally deployed.
2023 Prelims
Consider the following statements :
1. Ballistic missiles are jet-propelled at subsonic speeds throughout their flights, while
cruise missiles are rocket-powered only in the initial phase of flight.
2. Agni-V is a medium-range supersonic cruise missile, while BrahMos is a solid-
fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2
NIRBHAY
● 1st Indigenous Subsonic cruise missile developed by DRDO
● Speed: 0.6 to 0.7 Mach
● Operational range of 1000 km
● The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the
American Tomahawk.
Aerial Defence
System:
It refers to a multi-layered
mechanism designed to
detect, intercept, and
destroy incoming aerial
threats
ANTI-BALLISTIC
MISSILE SYSTEMS
S - A missile designed to
counter ballistic missiles
2018 Prelims
What is "Terminal High Altitude Area
Defense (THAAD)", sometimes seen in
the news?
A. An Israeli radar system
B. India's indigenous anti-missile
programme
C. An American anti-missile system
D. A defence collaboration between
Japan and South Korea
Indian Ballistic Missile Defence
Programme
Objective: To intercept any incoming
missile launched 5,000 km away.
Two-tier System:
• Exo-atmospheric: PAD (Prithvi Air
Defence) - intercepts at 50–80 km
altitude.
• Endo-atmospheric: AAD (Advanced Air
Defence) - intercepts within 30 km
altitude.
#Current_Updation
The S-400 Triumf stands out from other air defence
systems due to -
Versatility: The S-400 can simultaneously track and engage
a wide range of threats, including aircraft, missiles, and UAVs.
Layered Air Defense: The S-400’s multiple missile types and
varying ranges (40 km, 120 km, 250 km, and 400 km) create a
layered air defence net.
Rapid Deployment: The deployment time of the S-400 system
is relatively short, at just 5 minutes
Enhanced Target Speed: The S-400 has a maximum target
speed of 4.8 km/sec
#Current_Updation
2018 UPSC Prelims
What is "Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)",
sometimes seen in the news?
A. An Israeli radar system
B. India's indigenous anti-missile programme
C. An American anti-missile system
D. A defence collaboration between Japan and South Korea
2023 UPSC Prelims
Consider the following statements :
1. Ballistic missiles are jet-propelled at subsonic speeds throughout their flights, while cruise missiles are
rocket-powered only in the initial phase of flight.
2. Agni-V is a medium-range supersonic cruise missile, while BrahMos is a solid-fuelled intercontinental
ballistic missile.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2
KAS Prelims 2020
KAS Prelims 2020
Which is India's first experimental satellite launch vehicle, capable of placing 40 kg
class payloads in Low Earth Orbit (LEO)? KAS Prelims 2025
(A) ASLV
(C) SLV-3
(B) PSLV
(D) GSLV-MK3
Which of the following is NOT a challenge in developing Reusable Launch Vehicles
(RLV)? KAS Prelims 2025
(A) High thermal resistance during re-entry
(B) Low-cost fuel availability
(C) Precision landing technology
(D) High-speed aerodynamic control