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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the critical role of modern air defence systems against Shahed drones.
He highlighted Ukraine's practical experience in countering these drones, potentially in West Asian contexts or through observation of their use.
Zelenskyy stressed the need for tangible support in building effective air defence capabilities, moving beyond mere training.
The statement underscores the evolving nature of drone warfare and the global demand for robust countermeasures.
Shahed drones are a series of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) developed by Iran, primarily known for their 'loitering munition' or 'suicide drone' capabilities. Unlike traditional cruise missiles, they are designed to 'loiter' over a target area before identifying and crashing into a specific target, detonating an explosive warhead. They are relatively inexpensive, can be produced in large numbers, and are often deployed in swarms to overwhelm air defence systems. The Shahed-136, rebranded as Geran-2 by Russia, has been extensively used in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Simple Analogy: Imagine a guided, explosive dart that can be launched from a distance, waits for its target to appear, and then precisely strikes it.
The conflict has been a major testing ground for Shahed drones, with Russia using them extensively against Ukrainian infrastructure, leading to significant Ukrainian experience in countering them.
Iran has developed a robust indigenous drone industry and is a key supplier of these systems, impacting regional security and international arms control efforts.
The proliferation of drones necessitates continuous innovation and upgrades in air defence technologies, including radar, electronic warfare, and interceptor systems, to counter evolving aerial threats.
Drones, especially loitering munitions, enable non-state actors and smaller militaries to inflict significant damage on technologically superior adversaries at a relatively low cost.
GS Paper 2: International Relations (Effect of policies of countries on India’s interests); GS Paper 3: Internal Security (Challenges to internal security, border areas and their management), Science & Technology (Developments and their applications in defence technology).
General Awareness (Defence, International Affairs, Current Events).
General Awareness (Current Affairs, Geopolitics).
General Awareness (Current Events, Science & Technology).
Military Technology, Geopolitics, International Security, Defence Strategies.
What is "Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)", sometimes seen in the news?
Answer: An American anti-missile system
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?
Answer: Neither 1 nor 2
With reference to Home Guards, consider the following statements: 1. Home Guards are raised under the Home Guards Act and Rules of the Central Government. 2. The role of the Home Guards is to serve as an auxiliary force to the police in maintenance of internal security. 3. To prevent infiltration on the international border/coastal areas, the Border Wing Home Guards Battalions have been raised in some States. How many of the above statements are correct?
Answer: Only two
Increasingly frequent, especially in UPSC and Defence exams, given the evolving nature of warfare.
A type of aerial weapon system that can wait passively around a target area for some time, and then attack once a target is located.
An aircraft without a human pilot aboard, controlled either autonomously by onboard computers or by a remote pilot.
A system designed to detect, track, intercept, and destroy hostile airborne threats.