Important Facts For Prelims (23rd May 2019)

• 23 May 2019

IAF Test Fires Aerial Version of Brahmos

The Indian Air Force has successfully test-fired the Aerial version of the Supersonic BrahMos cruise missile from a Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft.

About Supersonic Brahmos Cruise Missile

• Brahmos is a two stage (solid propellant engine in first stage and liquid ramjet in second) air to surface missile with a flight range of around 300 km.
• Brahmos is the heaviest weapon to be deployed on Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft, with weight of 2.5 tonne.
• Brahmos is a multiplatform i.e it can be launched from land, air and sea and multi capability missile with pinpoint accuracy that works in both day and night irrespective of the weather conditions.
• It operates on "Fire and Forget" principle i.e it does not require further guidance after launch.
• It is a joint venture between Defence Research and Development Organisation of india (DRDO) and NPOM of Russia.
• Brahmos is named on the rivers Brahmaputra and Moskva.
• Brahmos is one of the fastest cruise missile currently operationally deployed with speed of Mach 2.8, which is 3 times more than the speed of sound.
• Brahmos Missile also created history on 22 Nov 2017 after it was successfully flight tested first time from Indian Air Force’s (IAF) frontline fighter aircraft Sukhoi-30 MKI against a sea based target in bay of bengal.

India’s First Woman Pilot Qualified for Combat Missions

• Flight Lieutenant Bhawana Kanth has become the first woman pilot of the Indian Air Force to qualify to undertake combat missions by day on a fighter jet.
• In order to be declared 'Operational by Day', a pilot has to complete the syllabus which proclaims him/her fit to fly during the day. Kanth has successfully completed the operational syllabus for carrying out combat missions on MiG-21 Bison aircraft, during the day.
  
  • The MiG-21 is the oldest frontline combat jet in service with the Indian Air Force, having first entered service in 1964. The jet has been regularly upgraded since then. The MiG-21 "Bison" is the definitive variant of the legacy fighter.
• Along with Mohana Singh and Avani Chaturvedi, she was the first woman selected for the Air Force's fighter stream in 2016.
  
  • She joined the fighter squadron in 2017 and flew solo on MiG-21 Bison last year.
• As per a government data, the Army has 3.80% of its workforce as women, the Air Force has 13.09% and the Navy 6%.
  
  • This year, the government has planned to induct women in the military police, with an aim to enhance their representation in the three services.