DRDO, HAL & Defence Orgs — Set 1
Defence GK · DRDO, HAL और रक्षा संगठन · Questions 1–10 of 120
DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) was established in:
Correct Answer: B. 1958
DRDO was established in 1958 by merging the Defence Science Organisation (DSO) with the Technical Development Establishments (TDEs) and the Directorate of Technical Development and Production (DTDP). It operates under the Ministry of Defence and is headquartered in New Delhi. DRDO employs approximately 5,000 scientists and over 25,000 technical staff. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam is the most celebrated former DRDO chief, serving as Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister (1992-1999).
How many laboratories and establishments does DRDO approximately have?
Correct Answer: C. 50
DRDO operates approximately 50 laboratories and establishments spread across India, each specialising in different defence technologies. Major labs include DRDL (Hyderabad) for missiles, CAIR (Bangalore) for AI and robotics, DMRL (Hyderabad) for materials, INMAS (Delhi) for nuclear medicine, SAG (Delhi) for cryptography, and DIPR (Delhi) for psychological research. These labs work on electronics, armaments, aeronautics, naval systems, life sciences, and advanced materials.
The Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) in Hyderabad is primarily known for:
Correct Answer: B. Missile systems development
DRDL (Defence Research and Development Laboratory) at Hyderabad is India's premier missile development laboratory. It developed the Agni and Prithvi ballistic missiles under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). DRDL is also responsible for developing hypersonic technology, ballistic missile defence systems (PAD/AAD), and the BrahMos cruise missile (in joint venture with Russia). It was the hub of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam's missile work in the 1980s-90s.
HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) was established in:
Correct Answer: A. 1940
HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) was established on 23 December 1940 in Bangalore by Seth Walchand Hirachand as Hindustan Aircraft Limited. The Government of India took over in 1941. It was renamed Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in 1964. HAL is headquartered in Bangalore, Karnataka, and is a Navratna public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Defence. HAL manufactures fighters, trainers, helicopters, and aero-engines.
The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas was developed by:
Correct Answer: C. Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) with HAL as production agency
LCA Tejas was developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), a programme management organisation under DRDO, with HAL as the production and manufacturing agency. ADA was set up specifically in 1984 to design and develop Tejas. The airframe design used advanced composite materials. Tejas achieved Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) in 2013 and Final Operational Clearance (FOC) in 2019. HAL manufactures Tejas at its Bangalore complex and currently has contracts for 83 Mk1A and 18 Mk1 aircraft.
HAL's Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv is used by:
Correct Answer: C. Indian Army, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard
HAL Dhruv (Advanced Light Helicopter) is used by all four Indian military services — Indian Army, Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, and Indian Coast Guard. It was also used by the Border Security Force (BSF). Dhruv achieved Initial Operational Clearance in 2002. It has been exported to Nepal, Ecuador, Maldives, and Mauritius. The Dhruv family includes the armed variant Rudra and the attack helicopter LCH (Light Combat Helicopter). Over 300 Dhruvs have been manufactured.
HAL's HTT-40 is a:
Correct Answer: B. Basic trainer aircraft
HAL HTT-40 (Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40) is a basic trainer aircraft developed indigenously by HAL for the Indian Air Force. It received Initial Operational Clearance in 2022. HTT-40 is powered by a Honeywell TPE331 turboprop engine producing 950 shp. The IAF selected HTT-40 to replace the aging HPT-32 Deepak trainer and HAL PC-7 Swiss imported trainers. A contract for 70 HTT-40 aircraft was signed in 2023, making it a major indigenous trainer programme.
HAL produces the Su-30 MKI fighter under licence from:
Correct Answer: C. Russia (Sukhoi/United Aircraft Corporation)
HAL produces the Su-30 MKI multirole fighter under a licence agreement with Russia's Sukhoi company (now part of United Aircraft Corporation/UAC). India has licenced production of over 270 Su-30 MKI aircraft, making it the largest fleet in the Indian Air Force. HAL's Nasik division is the primary production facility. The Su-30 MKI incorporates Indian-made avionics systems. HAL also provides Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) services for the aircraft throughout its service life.
HAL produces which advanced trainer for the Indian Air Force?
Correct Answer: C. Hawk 132
HAL produces the Hawk 132 advanced jet trainer for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy under licence from BAE Systems (UK). The IAF uses Hawk for Stage III (advanced) pilot training, replacing the aging Kiran trainers. The Navy uses Hawk for carrier qualification training. India has a fleet of 123 Hawks, manufactured at HAL Bangalore. HAL produces over 90% components indigenously. The Hawk programme helped transfer advanced aerospace manufacturing technology to India.
DRDO's CAIR (Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics) is located at:
Correct Answer: C. Bangalore
CAIR (Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics) is located in Bangalore, Karnataka. It is one of DRDO's premier labs focusing on AI, robotics, autonomous systems, and command & control systems for defence applications. CAIR develops AI-based decision support systems, autonomous unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), swarm robotics, and intelligent surveillance systems. It also works on natural language processing for intelligence gathering and military applications of machine learning.