CAPF AC 2021 Q115: Current Affairs – International Conflicts & Security
Heron drones, inducted by Indian forces for enhancing their surveillance capabilities, are acquired from
- (a) USA
- (b) Russia
- (c) Israel
- (d) Japan
Answer: (c) Israel
Explanation
Heron drones
How to think: the Heron is a well-known Israeli unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
It is made by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Maker | Israel Aerospace Industries, Israel |
| Type | MALE: medium-altitude, long-endurance UAV |
| Use | Surveillance and reconnaissance |
| Indian users | Army, Air Force and Navy |
| In 2021 | Advanced Herons were inducted for watching the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh |
Other Israeli systems with India: Searcher UAV, Harop loitering munition, Barak-8 missile (jointly developed), SPYDER air defence and Phalcon radar.
For comparison: the MQ-9B Predator drones come from the USA.
Answer: (c) Israel.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. The USA supplies the MQ-9B SeaGuardian and SkyGuardian drones.
- (b) Incorrect. Russia supplies aircraft, tanks and the S-400, not the Heron.
- (c) CORRECT. Heron drones are made by Israel Aerospace Industries, Israel.
- (d) Incorrect. Japan is not a supplier of these drones.
Key point
Heron and Searcher UAVs, Harop, SPYDER, Phalcon AWACS radar, Barak-8 (with DRDO): Israel. MQ-9B: USA. S-400, Su-30MKI, T-90: Russia. Rafale, Scorpene: France.
Remember
Heron = Israel Aerospace Industries.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up the Heron (Israel) with the Predator MQ-9B (USA).
- Assuming every new defence purchase comes from the USA or Russia.
- Thinking the Heron is an armed combat drone; India used it mainly for surveillance.
Exam tip
Educated guess: India's best-known UAV supplier for two decades has been Israel. When a question is about drones and Israel is an option, pick it.
Sources
- Israel Aerospace Industries — Heron family of unmanned aerial systems
- Press Trust of India — Army to get advanced Heron drones from Israel for surveillance along the LAC (May 2021)