Q. With reference to India’s defence, consider the following pairs :
Aircraft type : Description
I. Dornier-228 : Maritime patrol aircraft
II. IL-76 : Supersonic combat aircraft
III. C-17 Globemaster III : Military transport aircraft
How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All the three
(d) None
Correct Answer: (b) Only two
UPSC Prelims 2025 GS Paper's Solution
Explanation :
I. Dornier-228: Maritime patrol aircraft The Dornier-228 is indeed used by the Indian Navy and Coast Guard primarily for maritime surveillance, reconnaissance, and patrol missions. Thus, this pair is correctly matched.
II. IL-76: Supersonic combat aircraft The IL-76 is a strategic airlift aircraft of Russian origin, used by the Indian Air Force primarily for transport, logistics, and aerial refueling roles. It is not a supersonic combat aircraft. Thus, this pair is incorrectly matched.
III. C-17 Globemaster III: Military transport aircraft The C-17 Globemaster III is a large, strategic military transport aircraft used by the Indian Air Force for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo. Thus, this pair is correctly matched.
Hence, two pairs (I and III) are correctly matched.
