GUWAHATI: A state-of-the-art Submersible Platform for Acoustic Characterisation and Evaluation (SPACE) was unveiled by the Secretary, Department of Defence (R&D) and Chairman DRDO, Samir V Kamat, on April 17, 2024. The inauguration took place at the Underwater Acoustic Research Facility, Kulamavu, located in Idukki, Kerala.
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Developed by the Naval Physical & Oceanographic Laboratory of DRDO, SPACE is poised to become a premier testing and evaluation hub for sonar systems designated for the Indian Navy, to be installed on various platforms including ships, submarines, and helicopters.
The newly inaugurated SPACE represents a significant milestone in naval technology. It comprises two distinct components - a platform floating on the water surface and a submersible platform capable of descending to depths of up to 100 metres using winch systems. Following completion of operations, the submersible platform can be winched up and docked with the floating platform, facilitating seamless transition between surface and sub-surface activities.
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SPACE will primarily serve as an evaluation facility for complete sonar systems, offering quick deployment and retrieval of scientific packages such as sensors and transducers. Equipped with modern scientific instrumentation, it will enable surveying, sampling, and data collection of air, surface, mid-water, and reservoir floor parameters. Moreover, the facility will cater to data processing and sample analyses in well-equipped scientific laboratories, heralding a new era of anti-submarine warfare research capabilities.