Daily Current Capsules - 29^th May 2019

Defence
DRDO successfully test fired the Akash-1S surface-to-air defence missile in Balasore off the Odisha coast.

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Akash - 1S and about IGMDP)
What's the NEWS

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test fired Akash-1S surface to air defence missile system from Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Balasore off the Odisha coast. This is the second successive successful missile test by DRDO in last two days. This is a new version of the missile fitted with an indigenous seeker.

• The Akash missile is a medium range multi-target engagement capable missile that was developed as part of Integrated Guided-Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).
• Other missiles under IGDMP are Nag, Agni, Trishul, and Prithvi missiles.
• It is a supersonic surface to air missile with multi-target engagement capability.
• Akash-1S is an upgrade version of existing Akash missile fitted with an indigenously developed seeker.
• The new Akash weapon system has combination of both command guidance and active terminal seeker guidance.
• The missile has a range of about 25 km and altitude range of 18,000 metres (18km).
• It is capable of neutralizing advanced aerial targets and in striking down enemy fighter jets and drones effectively.

IAF chief pays tribute to Kargil heroes by flying 'missing man' formation
Operation Safed Sagar

Highlights

• Birendra Singh Dhanoa led the Mig-21 flypast at the Indian Air Force station in Bhisiana
• In the formation, three aircraft fly in a four aircraft formation with a gap in between two aircraft depicting the missing man

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal (ACM) B.S. Dhanoa visits Air Force Station in Bhisiana and Sarsawa to pay homage to the air warriors who made supreme sacrifice during Operation Safed Sagar at Kargil.

• On 28 May 1999 the Indian Air Force lost a Mi-17 helicopter after successfully attacking the enemy in Drass sector (J&K).
• The Chief of the Air staff (CAS) B. S. Dhanoa paid tribute to Late Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja and other fallen heroes who lost their life 20 years back during the Kargil war.
• CAS B.S. Dhanoa flew the ‘missing man' formation flypast in a Mig-21 aircraft.
• He was accompanied by Air Marshal R Nambiar, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) Western Air Command in the ‘missing man' flypast organised at Air Force Station in Bhisiana in Bhatinda to honour the valour and supreme sacrifice of men killed in action during Operation Safed Sagar at Kargil, J&K.
• On 28 May the CAS visited Air Force Station Sarsawa and fly in a Mi-17 V5 ‘Missing Man' formation flypast to commemorate the Kargil martyrs.

Know! more about The ‘Missing Man' formation

• It is an aerial salute accorded to honour the fallen comrades-in-arms. It is basically an Arrow Formation, with a gap between two aircraft in a way that the formation depicts the Missing Man.

Know! about Operation Safed Sagar

• It was the code name assigned to Indian Air Force's (IAF) role in acting jointly with Ground troops of Indian Army during the Kargil war in 1999.
• It was aimed at flushing out Regular and Irregular troops of Pakistani Army from vacated Indian Positions in Kargil sector along Line of Control (LOC).
• Since 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, it was the first large scale use of Airpower in Jammu and Kashmir region.

International Organisations
Algeria and Argentina declared ‘Malaria-Free' by WHO
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Malaria and WHO conditions regarding certifying a nation malaria free)
What's the NEWS

• Algeria and Argentina have been officially recognized by WHO as malaria-free. The certification is granted when a country proves that it has interrupted indigenous transmission of the disease for at least 3 consecutive years.
  

Know! more about it

• Contracted through the bite of an infected mosquito, malaria remains one of the world's leading killers, with an estimated 219 million cases and over 400 000 malaria-related deaths in 2017. Approximately 60% of fatalities are among children aged under 5 years.
• Algeria is the second country in the WHO African Region to be officially recognized as malaria-free, after Mauritius, which was certified in 1973.
• Argentina is the second country in the WHO Region of the Americas to be certified in 45 years, after Paraguay in June 2018.
• Algeria and Argentina reported their last cases of indigenous malaria in 2013 and 2010 respectively.
• Globally, a total of 38 countries and territories have now been declared malaria-free

Know! about Malaria

• It is mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by infectious Plasmodium type parasitic protozoans (group of single-celled microorganisms). Transmitted on biting of infected female Anopheles mosquito.
• Mosquirix or (RTS,S) is World's first vaccine against a parasitic disease.

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