UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — DRDO unveils Advanced Armoured Platforms (Tracked & Wheeled)
Q1. The DRDO laboratory that designed and developed the Advanced Armoured Platforms (Tracked & Wheeled) unveiled in 2026 is best described by which one of the following mandates?
- A. Research and development of automotive systems for wheeled and light tracked military vehicles
- B. Design of main battle tanks and their composite armour packages
- C. Development of gas-turbine powerpacks for combat aircraft
- D. Development of naval propulsion and marine engineering systems
Q2. With reference to Indian defence establishments, consider the following:
1. Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (VRDE), Ahilyanagar
2. Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (CVRDE), Avadi
3. Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF), Avadi
4. Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL), Hyderabad
Which of the above is/are correctly identified as laboratories of the DRDO?
- Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (VRDE), Ahilyanagar
- Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (CVRDE), Avadi
- Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF), Avadi
- Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL), Hyderabad
- A. 1, 2 and 4
- B. 1, 2 and 3
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 3 and 4
Q3. With reference to the Advanced Armoured Platforms unveiled by DRDO in April 2026, consider the following statements:
1. Unlike the earlier DRDO WhAP, which is a wheeled platform, these were unveiled in both tracked and wheeled variants.
2. Their turret is crewless (remotely operated), a departure from a conventional manned turret.
3. The 30 mm turret, unlike its supporting configuration, cannot be used to launch anti-tank guided missiles.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Unlike the earlier DRDO WhAP, which is a wheeled platform, these were unveiled in both tracked and wheeled variants.
- Their turret is crewless (remotely operated), a departure from a conventional manned turret.
- The 30 mm turret, unlike its supporting configuration, cannot be used to launch anti-tank guided missiles.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q4. In respect of the Advanced Armoured Platforms unveiled by DRDO in 2026, consider the following:
1. Developing laboratory — VRDE, Ahilyanagar
2. Unveiled by the Secretary DDR&D & Chairman, DRDO
3. Manufacturing industry partners — Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Bharat Forge Limited
4. Nodal ministry — Ministry of Home Affairs
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Developing laboratory — VRDE, Ahilyanagar
- Unveiled by the Secretary DDR&D & Chairman, DRDO
- Manufacturing industry partners — Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Bharat Forge Limited
- Nodal ministry — Ministry of Home Affairs
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1 and 4 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q5. The 30 mm Crewless (remotely operated) Turret integrated on both the tracked and wheeled Advanced Armoured Platforms was:
- A. Indigenously designed and developed by DRDO
- B. Imported from Israel and integrated under transfer of technology
- C. Adapted directly from the Russian BMP-2 turret
- D. A NATO-standard turret procured off-the-shelf
Q6. On the crewless turret of the Advanced Armoured Platforms, which one of the following constitutes the primary/main armament?
- A. 30 mm cannon
- B. 7.62 mm PKT coaxial gun
- C. Anti-tank guided missile
- D. 12.7 mm heavy machine gun
Q7. As per STANAG 4569, which one of the following represents the highest standardized protection level, requiring resistance against 30 mm armour-piercing rounds?
- A. Level 6
- B. Level 5
- C. Level 4
- D. Level 3
Q8. With reference to STANAG 4569, consider the following statements:
1. It is a NATO Standardization Agreement defining protection levels for occupants of logistic and light armoured vehicles.
2. Level 4 protection corresponds to defeating 14.5 mm armour-piercing rounds.
3. Level 5 protection corresponds to defeating 25 mm rounds.
4. It defines protection against kinetic-energy ballistic threats only and excludes mine/IED blast protection.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- It is a NATO Standardization Agreement defining protection levels for occupants of logistic and light armoured vehicles.
- Level 4 protection corresponds to defeating 14.5 mm armour-piercing rounds.
- Level 5 protection corresponds to defeating 25 mm rounds.
- It defines protection against kinetic-energy ballistic threats only and excludes mine/IED blast protection.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 2, 3 and 4
- C. 1 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q9. The DRDO Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP), part of India's indigenous armoured-vehicle lineage, is configured in which wheel arrangement?
- A. 8×8 (eight-wheeled)
- B. 6×6 (six-wheeled)
- C. 4×4 (four-wheeled)
- D. 10×10 (ten-wheeled)
Q10. The Arjun Main Battle Tank and the Abhay Infantry Combat Vehicle technology demonstrator were both designed principally by which one of the following DRDO laboratories?
- A. Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (CVRDE), Avadi
- B. Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (VRDE), Ahilyanagar
- C. Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL), Hyderabad
- D. Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad
Q11. In the context of defence self-reliance, the 'Positive Indigenisation List' notified under DAP 2020 refers to:
- A. A list of defence items that the Armed Forces will procure only from domestic manufacturers after notified timelines
- B. A list of items barred from domestic production and reserved exclusively for import
- C. A list of foreign vendors approved for defence exports to India
- D. A list of DRDO laboratories cleared to transfer technology abroad
Q12. Current wheeled armoured-vehicle technology generally limits overall vehicle weight to about how many tonnes, making it unsuited to heavy systems such as main battle tanks?
- A. About 35 tonnes
- B. About 70 tonnes
- C. About 10 tonnes
- D. About 120 tonnes