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DAILY
CLASS NOTES
BPSC
SCIENCE AND TECH.
Lecture – 05
Defence Technology
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Defence Technology
Defence Technology:-
Defence technology refers to the use of science, engineering, and advanced systems to
develop tools and equipment that protect a country from threats or attacks. It includes
several key areas:
1. Missile Technology–Development of missiles for defence and attack.
2. Communication Technology–Secure systems for military communication.
3. Military Hardware–Weapons, vehicles, aircraft, ships, and other defence equipment.
4. Cyber Defence Systems–Protection against digital and cyber threats.
5. Other Advanced Solutions–Innovations like drones, surveillance systems, AI, etc.
Organisational Structure of Indian Defence:-
❖ President of India–Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces
❖ Central Government–Overall administrative authority
❖ Ministry of Defence (MoD)–Responsible for defence policy and coordination
➢ Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)–Coordinates among the three armed forces
➢ Indian Army–Ground force
➢ Indian Navy–Maritime force
➢ Indian Air Force–Aerial force
❖ DRDO was formed on 15 August 1958 by the merger of the then already
functioning Technical Development Establishment (TDE) of the Indian Army and the
Directorate of Technical Development and Production (DTDP) with the Defense
Science Organization (DSO). Its first president was Dr. D.S. Kothari. Presently, its
President is Dr. Sameer V. Kamat.
❖ It has a network of 52 specialized laboratories across India that collaborate with the
armed forces, industry, and academia.
❖ In 1983, its President became A.P.J. Kalam, who started the “Integrated Guided
Missile Development Program” (IGMDP). Its objective was to achieve self-reliance in
the field of missile technology, for which the PATNA series was developed.
❖ DRDO is the research and development wing of the Ministry of Defence, Government
of India, whose motto is “Balasiyam Mool: Vigyanam” (Strength’s origin in science).
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Types of missiles:-
On the basis of the target:-
❖ From surface to surface:- Missiles whose launch pad and target are both located on
the surface are called surface-to-surface missiles. Such missiles are generally used
strategically. For example, poke, Prithvi missile, Agni missile etc.
❖ Air from surface:- "Missiles whose launch point is on the surface but the target is in
the air are called surface-to-air missiles.". These are called attack missiles. They are
also used in war. For example, Trishul (9 km) and Akash missile (30 km)
❖ Air to Air:-
➢ Missiles in which both the launch point and the target are in the air. Such
missiles are also used strategically. For example Astra Missile. This missile is
launched from Tejas aircraft.
➢ These missiles are of two types–Wide visible range (0-25 km.) and Beyond visible
range (25-80km).
➢ Recently, India has successfully tested the air-to-surface missile on 29 May
2024. It was developed by DRDO.
➢ Rudram M-II missile uses solid fuel.
On the basis of path:-
❖ Ballistic Missile:-
➢ A ballistic missile is a rocket-propelled, self-guided strategic weapon system that
uses a ballistic trajectory to deliver a payload from its launch site to a
predetermined target.
➢ Ballistic missiles can also carry chemical, biological or nuclear weapons with high
explosives.
➢ These are of four types -
✓ Short Range Ballistic Missile - Its range is up to 1000 kilometers.
✓ medium range ballistic missile - Its range ranges from 1000-2500
kilometers.
✓ Intermediate Ballistic Missile:- Its range ranges from 2500 - 3000
kilometers.
✓ Intercontinental ballistic missile:- Its range is more than 5000 kilometers.
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❖ Cruise missile:-
➢ Missiles that move parallel to the Earth's surface.
➢ No radar can detect them. That means we can say that these missiles are out of
radar's reach.
➢ These missiles depend on the speed of Mach number.
MAC number:
❖ The Mach number is used to measure the speed of an aircraft.
❖ It describes the speed of an aircraft compared to the speed of sound in air, with
Mach-1 equal to the speed of sound i.e. 332 meters per second.
❖ Mach number is equal to the speed of sound. That is, the distance covered by sound
in 1 second is equal to 1 Mach number.
❖ Mach number = speed of object in a medium / speed of sound in the medium
➢ When the speed of an object is less than Mach number 1 then it is called
subsonic. Example - Nirbhay Missile.
➢ When the speed of an object is between Mach number 1 to 5 then it is called
supersonic. Example BrahMos-I.
➢ When the speed of an object is more than Mach number 5 then it is called
hypersonic. Example BrahMos-II
Type Ballistic Missiles Cruise Missiles
Definition Follows a ballistic trajectory with Guided missile that flies within
limited guidance after launch. the atmosphere with high
precision.
Engine Type Rocket engine (Solid fuel like Jet engine-like propulsion.
HTPB–Hydroxyl Terminated
Polybutadiene).
Flight Path Leaves Earth's atmosphere and re- Remains within Earth's
enters. atmosphere.
Precision Low High
Range Long Short to Medium
Payload Heavy Limited
Capacity
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Types of Ballistic Missiles
Type Full Form Range
SRBM Short-Range Ballistic Missile 300 km–1,000 km
MRBM Medium-Range Ballistic Missile 1,000 km–3,500 km
IRBM Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile 3,500 km–5,500 km
ICBM Intercontinental Ballistic Missile More than 6,000 km
Example Agni V / Agni VI ICBM category
Types of Cruise Missiles by Speed
Speed Category Example Mach Number
Subsonic Below speed of sound Nirbhay < Mach 1 (~0.8)
Supersonic Faster than sound BrahMos Mach 2–3
Hypersonic Very high speed BrahMos-II Mach 5 and above
On the basis of Nature:-
❖ Tactical Missile:- Missiles which are used in war are called strategic missiles. In India,
except the Agni series of missiles, all the missiles are strategic missiles.
❖ Strategic Missile:- Missiles which are not used in war but do not cause war at all.
That is why such missiles are called capable of defending themselves without war.
Such missiles are said to be targets while testing or releasing them. Cities like These
are used to engage larger targets. For example, Agni series of missiles.
Warhead:-
❖ Destructive / Weapons of War:- Destructible substances are called destroyers, they
are of two types: -
➢ Traditional:-
✓ Static energy based:- Bullet, Bomb
✓ Kinetic energy based:- RDX, TNT
➢ Non-traditional:-
✓ Nuclear energy-based:- Atom bomb, Hydrogen bomb
✓ Bio energy based:- Pathogen, Toxin
✓ Chemical energy-based:-
• Nerve agent:- Chemicals which affect the nervous system, for example:
SOMAN, TAIBUN, SARIN, CycloSARIN, etc.
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• Blister agent:- These are chemicals which harm the skin and lungs. For
example, nitrogen mustard gas, sulfur mustard gas and red phosphorus
etc.
• Pulmonary agent:- These are chemicals which seriously affect the
respiratory tract like nose, throat etc.
❖ Control system:-
➢ It is a system that works to control missiles. Many types of control systems are
used in it.
➢ Radar based:- Missiles which are controlled by radar are called radar guided
missiles. Like - Trishul, Akash (Rajendra radar).
➢ Laser based:- Missiles which are controlled under laser signal. For example,
LAHAT (Laser Anti-Homing Anti-Tank Missile) was developed by Dr. A.P.J.
Abdul Kalam made it for use in Arjun Tank.
➢ Satellite based:- Missiles which are controlled by satellites. For example, the Agni
missile.
➢ Based on infrared rays:- Missiles which are controlled by radiation. They work on
fire and forget technology like the Nag missile.
❖ Fuel system:- The propellant that is used to gain altitude is solid fuel which is
Hydroxyl Terminated Polybutadiene (HTPB) and the fuel used for speed is liquid fuel
which is called UMDH (Unsymmetrical Dimethyl Hydrogenine).
Agni-V:-
❖ Recently India successfully carried out the night trials of the Agni-V Nuclear capable
Missile. This missile was the part of Divyastra.
❖ Agni-V is an Indigenously built advanced surface-to-surface ballistic missile developed
under the Integrated Guided Missile Programme.
❖ It is a missile working on fire and forgetting technology.
BrahMos Missile System:-
❖ It is an American subsonic missile developed to compete with Harpoon. BrahMos is a
long-range supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from land, sea and air
against ground and air targets.
❖ BrahMos is a joint venture between India's Defense Research and Development
Organization (DRDO) and Russia's NPOM.
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❖ It is named after the Brahmaputra River of India and the Moskva River of Russia.
❖ Its payload capacity is 200 kg from sea and 300 kg from surface.
❖ It is a two-stage missile with a solid propellant engine in the first stage and a liquid
ramjet engine in the second stage.
❖ It works on the "fire and forget" principle i.e. it does not require guidance after
launch.
❖ Recently, hypersonic missile BrahMos-II is being tested which can be launched from
airplane, land, sea ship etc.
❖ This is also being prepared by India and Russia.
❖ Why in discussion?
➢ Recently, the Philippines has signed an agreement for the purchase of BrahMos
supersonic cruise missiles.
➢ Recently the Defense Ministry has signed a contract worth Rs 1700 crore with
BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd to procure additional dual role capable BrahMos
missiles for the Indian Navy.
➢ In April 2022, an anti-ship version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was
jointly test-fired by the Indian Navy and Andaman Nicobar Command.
➢ In January 2022, an extended sea-to-sea version of the BrahMos supersonic
cruise missile, a stealth guided missile destroyer, was test-fired from INS
Visakhapatnam.
❖ Other similar missile systems:-
➢ Chinese HD-1:- The HD–1 Supersonic missile has a comprehensive system which
includes missile, launch, command, control, aiming, indication.
➢ Sea-breaker: It is a fifth-generation, long-range, autonomous, stealth-guided
Israeli missile system designed to engage high-value maritime and land targets.
Missile Defense System:-
❖ Missile defense system is a system in which modern weapons and technology are used
to avoid attacks by other aggressive missiles.
❖ This type of system includes location, tracking, interception and destruction of the
missile.
❖ It is used as a defense system in war.
❖ Such missiles which destroy the missiles of the enemy country are kept in this system
like India has two such systems–Ashwin and Pradyumna.
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S-400 missile system:-
❖ It is a long-range mobile surface-to-air missile system manufactured by Russia.
❖ It is equipped with four different missiles which can send enemy aircraft, ballistic
missiles and Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft to a distance of 400
kilometers, 250 kilometers, 120 kilometers and 40 kilometers respectively.
❖ It has the capability to hit 80 targets at a time with a response time of 9-10
seconds.
❖ In October 2018, India signed a $5 billion deal with Russia to purchase 5 units of the
S-400 air defense missile system.
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BPSC
SCIENCE AND TECH. DMP- 05
Model Answer
1. Discuss the importance of Integrated Guided Missile Development Program for India. (8 Marks)
Ans:-
Approach:-
❖ Introduction: Briefly introduce the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.
❖ Main body: Write the importance of Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.
❖ Conclusion: Write the relevance of Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.
Introduction:-
Integrated Guided Missile Development Program Development of a wider range of missiles was undertaken
in the early 1980s and into 2007. Considered to be the brainchild of former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
IGMDP (Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme) was aimed at making the Indian Defense
Forces self-reliant in the field of missile technology. IGMDP includes Agni missile, Prithvi ballistic missile,
Akash missile, Trishul missile and Nag missile. It laid the foundation of the Integrated Missile Development
Centre, the Center for Defense Technology and the Advanced Center for Energy Materials.
Importance of Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP):-
❖ Missiles developed under the IGMDP, such as the Agni series, Prithvi missiles, BrahMos and Akash
surface-to-air missiles (SAM), now play an important role in national security management.
❖ Indigenous Development:- By promoting research and development in surface-to-air, surface-to-
surface and other missile categories, the IGMDP enabled India to achieve strategic autonomy rather
than being dependent on imports.
❖ State-of-the-art platform:- IGMDP provided an exclusive platform to Indian scientists to gain
proficiency by working on critical technologies such as propellant, aerodynamics, navigation, guidance
and phase separation.
❖ Technical by-products:- IGMDP projects generated positive impacts, resulting in the missile
infrastructure being later adapted to civilian space and automotive advancements.
❖ International recognition:- The bulk manufacturing, testing processes and infrastructure created
through IGMDP also nurtured a strong defence-industrial base aligned with 'Make in India' goals.
❖ Scientific and technological progress:- IGMDP helped India reduce its dependence on foreign arms
suppliers. This provided India greater freedom in determining its defense policies and protecting its
security interests. Gave India the ability to export missile technology and increase defense cooperation
with other countries.
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Conclusion:-
The IGMDP officially concluded in 2008, with most of its objectives accomplished. However, missile
development continues under the aegis of DRDO and other defense organizations. The Integrated Guided
Missile Development Program was a transformative initiative that laid the foundation for India's self-reliance
in missile technology. Through IGMDP, India has not only strengthened its defense capabilities but also
emerged as a leading member in the global defense industry.
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