Keel laid for acoustic research ship

Keel laying for an acoustic research ship, being built for the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), Kochi, under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), was done at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Limited, Kolkata, on Wednesday.

Samir V. Kamat, Secretary, Department of Defence (R&D) and Chairman, DRDO, laid the keel, according to a communicaiton.

The ship will be designed and built with minimum underwater radiated noise. This is the first time a silent class ship is being built in the country, it said.

NPOL Director D. Seshagiri spoke.

The ship will be capable of deploying and towing various equipment such as acoustic modules, generating sound velocity profiles, collecting ocean data, and deploying underwater moored systems. She will also be equipped with special facilities for various sea trials. The vessel will be delivered in 2027, the communication added.

DRDO Director General (NS&M) R.V. Hara Prasad and GRSE chairman and managing director P.R. Hari were present.