UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — DRDO conducts successful flight-test of Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile

Q1. With reference to the Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM) recently flight-tested by DRDO, which one of the following is its Nodal Laboratory?

  • A. Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad
  • B. Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad
  • C. Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru
  • D. Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune

Q2. With reference to the Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM) and related Indian missile programmes, consider the following statements: 1. Unlike the BrahMos cruise missile, which is supersonic, LRLACM is a sub-sonic long-range cruise missile. 2. LRLACM evolves from DRDO's earlier Nirbhay / Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM) programme. 3. LRLACM is configured for launch both from a ground-based mobile articulated launcher and from frontline ships using a Universal Vertical Launch Module. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Unlike the BrahMos cruise missile, which is supersonic, LRLACM is a sub-sonic long-range cruise missile.
  2. LRLACM evolves from DRDO's earlier Nirbhay / Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM) programme.
  3. LRLACM is configured for launch both from a ground-based mobile articulated launcher and from frontline ships using a Universal Vertical Launch Module.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q3. In the context of DRDO's Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM) project, Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Hyderabad and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bengaluru have been associated with the programme in which one of the following capacities?

  • A. Strategic Partners selected through the Strategic Partnership (SP) Model for indigenous manufacture after design transfer
  • B. Development-cum-Production Partners engaged in the missile's development and integration alongside DRDO
  • C. Original Equipment Manufacturers to whom Transfer of Technology was effected only after completion of user trials
  • D. Lead System Integrators nominated under the 'Make-II' category of the Defence Acquisition Procedure

Q4. The successful flight-test of DRDO's Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM), in which the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur deployed tracking instruments and all mission objectives were reported as fully met, was conducted in which one of the following months?

  • A. November 2024
  • B. August 2025
  • C. June 2026
  • D. March 2026

Q5. Which one of the following DRDO laboratories serves as the Nodal Laboratory for the development of the Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM), flight-tested in June 2026?

  • A. Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad
  • B. Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL), Hyderabad
  • C. Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru
  • D. Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad

Q6. Among the following indigenous or jointly-developed Indian cruise missiles, which one cruises at the highest Mach number?

  • A. Nirbhay
  • B. Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM)
  • C. Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM)
  • D. BrahMos

Q7. With reference to India's defence test infrastructure, the 'Integrated Test Range (ITR)' is best described as which one of the following?

  • A. A DRDO laboratory at Chandipur, Odisha for test and evaluation of airborne weapon systems such as guided missiles, rockets and UAVs
  • B. A tri-service operational command for ballistic missile defence headquartered at Hyderabad
  • C. An ISRO sub-orbital sounding-rocket range on the Kerala coast for atmospheric research
  • D. A Strategic Forces Command storage facility for India's nuclear-tipped delivery systems

Q8. In the context of India's defence capital acquisition process, the term 'Acceptance of Necessity (AoN)' is best defined as which one of the following?

  • A. The first-stage approval accorded by the Defence Acquisition Council for a capital acquisition proposal, validating the operational requirement and the acquisition category before issue of the Request for Proposal.
  • B. The final commercial sanction granted by the Cabinet Committee on Security before signing of the procurement contract with the selected vendor.
  • C. The certification issued by the Defence Research and Development Organisation that a developed weapon system has successfully met the General Staff Qualitative Requirements.
  • D. The approval issued by the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, for release of capital outlay against an already-signed defence acquisition contract.

Q9. With reference to India's indigenous missile programme, the term 'Universal Vertical Launch Module (UVLM)', recently seen in the news in the context of the Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM), refers to which one of the following?

  • A. A ship-borne vertical launching system that enables frontline naval surface combatants to fire indigenous cruise missiles such as the LRLACM
  • B. A mobile articulated ground launcher used by the Indian Army for road-mobile short-range ballistic missiles
  • C. A silo-based canister system maintained by the Strategic Forces Command for nuclear-tipped Agni-class missiles
  • D. An aircraft-mounted dispenser pod fitted on Su-30MKI fighters for stand-off air-launched cruise missiles

Q10. The Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM), which is configured to be launched from frontline Indian Navy ships through the Universal Vertical Launch Module, is being developed under which one of the following DRDO laboratories as the nodal laboratory?

  • A. Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru
  • B. Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad
  • C. Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad
  • D. Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL), Hyderabad

Q11. Which one of the following is the fastest operational cruise missile in the world, jointly developed by India and Russia?

  • A. Nirbhay
  • B. BrahMos
  • C. Tomahawk
  • D. Storm Shadow

Q12. With reference to the technical distinction between a cruise missile and a ballistic missile, which one of the following statements best defines a 'cruise missile'?

  • A. A missile that is rocket-boosted only during an initial phase and then follows an unpowered parabolic trajectory to its target
  • B. A missile that is jet-propelled and aerodynamically lifted throughout its flight, usually flying at low altitudes with continuous guidance
  • C. A missile that exits the atmosphere during mid-course and re-enters only in the terminal phase using gravity for descent
  • D. A missile that uses a solid-fuel booster for vertical launch and is guided exclusively by inertial navigation without in-flight course corrections
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