The Hindu Editorial (New capabilities) – Mar 21, 2024

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The Hindu Editorial (New capabilities) – Mar 22, 2024:

Agni-V (noun) – India’s longest range surface-to-surface ballistic missile. The three-stage solid-fuelled engine missile is capable of striking targets at ranges up to 5,000 km with a very high degree of accuracy. It has a height of 17 metres and it is capable of carrying a 1.5-tonne warhead. The Agni 1 to 4 missiles have ranges from 700 km to 3,500 km and they have already been deployed. The ‘Agni’ series of missiles constitute the backbone of India’s nuclear weapons delivery.
ballistic missile (noun) – a missile, which is shot from the ground, takes a long distance to travel well outside the atmosphere and falls to the earth to explode on its target (due to the gravity).
missile (noun) – a self-propelled/rocket-propelled weapon designed to deliver a conventional/nuclear explosive warhead with great accuracy at high speed; projectile.
Multiple Independently-targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV) (noun) – MIRV technology enables a single missile to carry and launch multiple warheads over the target area. These multiple warheads can attack either a single target location or multiple target locations. With single-warhead missiles, one missile must be launched for each target. By contrast, with a MIRV warhead, a single intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) can disperse multiple warheads on the target area.
Agni-V-MIRV (noun) – on 11th March, 2024, India successfully completed test firing of Agni-V ballistic missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under Mission Divyastra. The five designated nuclear weapons states — the United States, Russia, the People’s Republic of China, France and the United Kingdom — already possess MIRV capable projectiles which are integrated into their respective nuclear arsenals. India has joined a very select group of countries to develop an MIRV ballistic missile, by which a single missile can deliver multiple nuclear warheads.
warhead (noun) – the explosive head of a weapon/missile; the front part (head) of a missile that has the explosive.
accomplish (verb) – achieve, attain, complete, bring about, carry out, perform successfully.
maiden (adjective) – first.
Mission Divyastra (noun) – The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted the first successful flight test of the indigenously developed Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-Entry Vehicle ( MIRV) technology The flight test named ‘Mission Divyastra’ was successfully carried out from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha on March 11, 2024.
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) (noun) – it is the R&D wing of the Ministry of Defence, Govt of India, with a vision to empower India with cutting-edge defence technologies and a mission to achieve self-reliance in critical defence technologies and systems. The organisation was formed in 1958 from the amalgamation of the then already functioning Technical Development Establishment (TDEs) of the Indian Army and the Directorate of Technical Development & Production (DTDP) with the Defence Science Organisation (DSO). DRDO is a network of around 50 laboratories which are deeply engaged in developing defence technologies covering various disciplines.
undergo (verb) – go through, experience, engage in, be subjected to.
consternation (noun) – a process of storing missiles inside a sealed, climate-controlled tube to protect them from the outside elements during transportation.
indigenous (adjective) – originating or occurring naturally (in a country, region, etc.); native, local.
avionics (noun) – the science and technology of the electronic parts/systems/devices used in astronautics.
re-entry vehicle (noun) – the part of a space vehicle that is designed to re-enter the earth’s atmosphere in the terminal portion of its trajectory.
mission (noun) – expedition, journey (into space); assignment, project, operation.
parameter (noun) – specification, criterion, limitation, variable.
anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon (noun) – Anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons are designed to debilitate and/or destroy satellites that are already in orbit and operational.
Mission Shakti (noun) – Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), successfully neutralised a satellite in space with its anti-satellite (ASAT) missile on 27 March 2019, in Mission Shakti. The successful mission demonstrated DRDO’s technical prowess and ability to defend country’s assets in space, the 4th dimension of warfare. On March 27, 2019, a live satellite in the low earth orbit of around 300 km was shot down using a modified interceptor of the Ballistic Missile Defence system.
interceptor missile (noun) – interceptor or anti-ballistic missile systems that are designed to destroy an incoming warhead by intercepting it on its ballistic trajectory outside the atmosphere.
neutralise (verb) – eliminate, cancel out, nullify/invalidate.
interceptor (noun) – a type of fighter aircraft used to intercept & destroy enemy aircraft.
breakthrough (noun) – very important/significant development or progress.
further (verb) – promote, stimulate, develop, encourage, facilitate, foster
second strike (adjective) – (of a nuclear weapon) an counterattack which is planned to be used in reply to a nuclear attack.
first strike (noun) – an attack aimed to destroy opponent’s main strength/power before use.
given (preposition) – considering, taking into account, bearing in mind.
doctrine (noun) – a set of beliefs; principle, belief, tenet, dogma, ideology, rule.
No first use (NFU) (noun) – Since conducting its second nuclear tests, Pokhran-II, in 1998, India has adhered to a self-imposed commitment to ‘No First Use’ (NFU) of nuclear weapons on another country.
no first use (noun) – a pledge or a policy by a nuclear power not to use nuclear weapons as a means of warfare unless first attacked by an adversary using nuclear weapons.
credible (adjective) – acceptable, trustworthy, reliable, dependable; believable, plausible, reasonable.
deterrence (noun) – the act of deterring/stopping someone from doing something.
retaliation (noun) – revenge, vengeance, counter-attack.
espouse (verb) – adapt (an idea or a belief or a cause); embrace, accept, support, back, welcome, take up, promote, favour, defend.
triad (noun) – a group of three connected/related things.
submarine (noun) – a warship submerged in the water.
INS Arihant (noun) – India’s first indigenous nuclear powered ballistic missile capable submarine.
patrolling (noun) – watching/guarding an area (over a period of time).
threshold (noun) – lower limit, starting point, the level (to react to something).
it is only a matter of time (phrase) – if you say that something is just a matter of time, you mean that it is certain to occur at some time in the future.
deploy (verb) – use, utilize, employ, make use of, bring into service.
arsenal (noun) – weapons, arms, armaments.
in this regard (phrase) – on this point, in relation/connection to something mentioned earlier.
escalation (noun) – intensification, aggravation, exacerbation.
dynamics (noun) – basic/fundamental cause or force that triggers change within a system.
accelerate (verb) – increase, rise, further, step up, spiral, escalate.
spiralling (adjective) – increasing, rising, surging, escalating, mounting.
one-upmanship (noun) – the way of behaving in which a person attempts to get an advantage by appearing superior to/better than another person (a friend/opponent); boastfulness, showing off, self-promotion, attention-seeker.
deepen (verb) – increase, intensify, escalate.
technology-intensive (adjective) – requiring a lot of latest scientific and technical knowledge to be successful.
turn out (phrasal verb) – happen, occur, transpire, come about.
endeavour (noun) – activity, pursuit, exercise; aim, effort, attempt.