Rafale requirement reduced in consultation with defence officials: Sitharaman
Ahmedabad, Oct 1 : Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said that the decision to reduce the number of Rafale jets to be purchased by India from France from 126 to 36 was taken in consultations with defence officials.
The decision was taken after discussions and was not the sole decision of the Prime Minister, she said.
On whether Modi was authorised to take a call on reducing the number of aircraft to be purchased without consulting the Indian Air Force, Sitharaman said: "The Prime Minister doesn't require such permission. But the decision on change in IAF requirement was taken after across-the-table discussions between defence officials of both India and France and as per the urgency of the requirement."
The Defence Minister said that the reason for Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) exclusion from the Rafale deal should be asked from those at the helm of affairs in the previous UPA government.
"The negotiations between HAL and Dassault took place in the UPA rule. The UPA should be questioned on the matter."
Sitharamn said that the Indian government had no role in the selection of any firm to be an Indian partner of French fighter jet manufacturer Dassault.
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China tests new Hydrogen bomb without nuclear fusion
Beijing: China has reportedly tested a new kind of explosive device that uses hydrogen but does not involve any nuclear materials. This new weapon was developed by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC). It works differently from traditional hydrogen bombs, which rely on nuclear fusion. Instead, this device uses a chemical reaction with a substance called magnesium hydride. The explosion creates a powerful fireball that gives off extreme heat for a longer time, reported Economic Times.
The explosive weighs only 2 kilograms and uses a unique method to create a powerful blast. Magnesium hydride, which stores hydrogen at high densities, breaks down quickly when triggered by a normal explosive. This releases hydrogen gas, which then mixes with air and catches fire. The result is a fireball with temperatures above 1,000°C much hotter than regular explosives like TNT.
Quoting Wang Xuefeng, a top scientist at the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), The Economic Times reported that hydrogen explosions require very little energy to ignite and can spread rapidly. Wang explained that such fires possess the intensity to burn through strong materials, including aluminium alloys. Due to its precision and destructive power, the device could be highly effective in targeted military strikes.
During a field test, the explosive showed a peak pressure of 428.43 kilopascals at a distance of two meters. This is around 40% of the pressure made by TNT. But the real strength of this device lies in the heat it produces. While most explosives create a quick shockwave, this one keeps burning at very high temperatures for more than two seconds.
This long-lasting heat could make the explosive useful for hitting specific military targets, such as power plants or communication centers. It could also be used to block enemy forces by burning roads or transport routes, making them unusable.
