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 ✓ UPSC's answer
- (c) All the three
- (d) None
Why the answer is (b)
• Pair I is correct: the HAL-built Dornier-228 is a light twin-turboprop used by the Navy and Coast Guard for maritime patrol and surveillance.
• Pair III is correct: the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is the IAF's heavy strategic transport aircraft, used for airlifting troops, tanks and relief supplies.
• Pair II is wrong: the Russian Ilyushin IL-76 is a four-engine heavy transport aircraft (also the base for the IAF's IL-78 tanker and Phalcon AWACS); it is not a supersonic combat aircraft.
• India's supersonic combat aircraft include the Su-30MKI, Rafale, MiG-29, Mirage 2000 and Tejas.
• Hence two pairs are correct, option (b).
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) Only one
- Both the Dornier-228 and C-17 pairs are correct, so the count is two.
- (c) All the three
- The IL-76 is a transport aircraft, not a supersonic fighter.
- (d) None
- Two of the pairs are correctly matched.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2025, held on 25 May 2025. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.