The Sea-keeping and Manoeuvring Basin (SMB) project of Visakhapatnam-based Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL), the naval R&D laboratory of DRDO, will become operational in mid-2015 at a cost of Rs 170 crore, DRDO sources said.

SMB is a technology that will help in testing ship models in simulated ocean conditions. Once operational, SMB will enable the Indian Navy, Coast Guard and Merchant Navy to carry out all hydrodynamic designs indigenously.

The project cost includes Indian Navy’s share of Rs 30 crore and it would be set up by UK-based Cussons Technology Ltd, sources said.

They said many advanced marine platform designs need a simulated marine environment for testing and thus SMB would become very useful.

“The SMB will provide an indigenous facility for our submarine design programs to help maintain a technological edge for our submarines,” the sources said.

SMB is equipped with computerised multi-motion carriage, multi-segmented wave generation system, wave absorbing system, 3D on line reflection compensation to compensate disturbances, measuring equipment and PC based data acquisition and analysis system.

NSTL scientists will also be trained at HSVA, Germany and SSPA, Sweden on operation and maintenance, conduct of model tests, analysis and prediction of model test.

NSTL, engaged in design and development of various underwater systems for the Indian Navy, also has testing facilities for hydrodynamics and environmental assessment and qualification, including High Speed Towing Tank and Cavitation Tunnel.

China, Japan and Korea are the only other Asian countries to have this facility.

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