A state-of-the-art Submersible Platform for Acoustic Characterization and Evaluation (SPACE) was inaugurated at Kerala’s Idukki on Wednesday.

Samir V Kamat, Secretary, Department of Defence–Research and Development (R&D)–and Chairman, DRDO, inaugurated the platform at Underwater Acoustic Research Facility in Kulamavu in Idukki, a Defence Ministry release said.

According to the release, SPACE, set up by the Naval Physical & Oceanographic Laboratory of DRDO, has been designed as a premier testing and evaluation hub for sonar systems destined for Indian Navy onboard various platforms, including ships, submarines and helicopters.

The SPACE marks a milestone in naval technology advancement. It will consist 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 release mentioned.

The release stated that SPACE will mainly be utilised for the evaluation of complete sonar systems, allowing for quick deployment and easy recovery of scientific packages such as sensors and transducers. It will be suitable for survey, sampling, and data collection of air, surface, mid-water, and reservoir floor parameters using modern scientific instrumentation.

It will cater to the needs of data processing and sample analyses in modern, well equipped scientific laboratories, heralding a new era of Anti-Submarine Warfare research capabilities, it added.