New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence announced the inauguration of a state-of-the-art Submersible Platform for Acoustic Characterisation and Evaluation (SPACE) at the Underwater Acoustic Research Facility in Kulamavu, Idukki, Kerala on Wednesday. The platform was inaugurated by Dr Samir V Kamat, Secretary, Department of Defence (R&D) and Chairman of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The SPACE, established by the Naval Physical & Oceanographic Laboratory of DRDO, is designed as a premier testing and evaluation hub for sonar systems. These systems are destined for the Indian Navy onboard various platforms, including ships, submarines, and helicopters, said the Defence Ministry.
The platform is suitable for survey, sampling, and data collection of air, surface, mid-water, and reservoir floor parameters using modern scientific instrumentation. SPACE consists of two distinct assemblages – a platform that floats on the water surface, and a submersible platform that can be lowered to any depth up to 100 m using winch systems. Upon completion of operations, the submersible platform can be winched up and docked with the floating platform.
The Ministry stated that SPACE will primarily be utilised for the evaluation of the complete sonar system, allowing for quick deployment and easy recovery of scientific packages such as sensors and transducers.
This development marks a significant advancement in India’s naval capabilities and research.
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