UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — DRDO conducts successful flight-trials of Very Short-Range Air Defence System
Q1. The Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) has been developed by the DRDO, which functions under which one of the following departments of the Ministry of Defence?
- A. Department of Defence Production
- B. Department of Defence Research and Development
- C. Department of Military Affairs
- D. Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare
Q2. With reference to the Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS), consider the following statements:
1. It is a shoulder-fired Man Portable Air Defence System (MANPAD).
2. It is designed to neutralise low-altitude aerial threats at short ranges.
3. It is a long-range surface-to-air missile developed primarily for ballistic missile defence.
4. It incorporates a miniaturised Reaction Control System (RCS).
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- It is a shoulder-fired Man Portable Air Defence System (MANPAD).
- It is designed to neutralise low-altitude aerial threats at short ranges.
- It is a long-range surface-to-air missile developed primarily for ballistic missile defence.
- It incorporates a miniaturised Reaction Control System (RCS).
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 3 and 4 only
- C. 1, 2 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q3. Which one of the following DRDO laboratories is the lead developer of the VSHORADS missile system?
- A. Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad
- B. Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru
- C. Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune
- D. High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune
Q4. Consider the following entities said to be associated with the development of VSHORADS:
1. Research Centre Imarat (RCI)
2. Other DRDO laboratories
3. Development-cum-Production Partners (DcPPs) from Indian industry
4. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
Which of the above is/are NOT correctly associated with the development of VSHORADS?
- Research Centre Imarat (RCI)
- Other DRDO laboratories
- Development-cum-Production Partners (DcPPs) from Indian industry
- Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
- A. 1 only
- B. 3 and 4 only
- C. 4 only
- D. 2 and 4 only
Q5. With reference to the VSHORADS flight-trials conducted in February 2026, consider the following statements:
1. They were carried out from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha.
2. Three successive flight-trials were conducted.
3. The missile was tested in its final deployment configuration, with field operators carrying out target acquisition and firing.
4. The trials were conducted from the Pokhran Field Firing Ranges in Rajasthan.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- They were carried out from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha.
- Three successive flight-trials were conducted.
- The missile was tested in its final deployment configuration, with field operators carrying out target acquisition and firing.
- The trials were conducted from the Pokhran Field Firing Ranges in Rajasthan.
- A. 1, 2 and 3 only
- B. 1 and 4 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q6. In the three successive VSHORADS flight-trials of February 2026, the missiles intercepted and destroyed targets that primarily mimicked which one of the following?
- A. High-speed aerial targets mimicking enemy aircraft
- B. Incoming short-range ballistic missiles
- C. Low-orbit reconnaissance satellites
- D. Surface naval vessels
Q7. The maiden successful flight-tests of the VSHORADS missile conducted by DRDO in September 2022 consisted of how many successful test flights?
- A. One
- B. Two
- C. Three
- D. Four
Q8. The flight-tests of the 4th Generation VSHORADS at the Pokhran Field Firing Ranges, Rajasthan, were conducted in which year?
- A. 2022
- B. 2023
- C. 2024
- D. 2025
Q9. With reference to the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, consider the following statements:
1. It is a test and evaluation facility of the DRDO.
2. It is located off the coast of Odisha.
3. The February 2026 VSHORADS flight-trials were conducted from this range.
4. It is a launch facility operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- It is a test and evaluation facility of the DRDO.
- It is located off the coast of Odisha.
- The February 2026 VSHORADS flight-trials were conducted from this range.
- It is a launch facility operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
- A. 1, 2 and 3 only
- B. 1 and 4 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q10. In the context of the 4th Generation VSHORADS trials at Pokhran, the demonstrated 'hit-to-kill' capability refers strictly to which one of the following?
- A. Destruction of the target by direct kinetic impact of the missile on it
- B. Destruction of the target only by a proximity-fuzed blast-fragmentation warhead near it
- C. Disabling the target's electronics by an electromagnetic pulse
- D. Diverting the target by decoy flares rather than destroying it