Indian MoD opens upgraded Naval Environmental Test Facility

The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced the inauguration of the upgraded Naval Environmental Test Facility (NETF).

The facility is located in the city of Bengaluru. It was inaugurated by India’s Naval Staff Deputy Chief vice-admiral MS Pawar on 4 February.

It will support India’s ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat’ vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The MoD noted that common test facilities are available for ‘Climatic and Dynamic testing’ of military equipment in public/private sector.

However, the new facility will fill a critical gap related to qualifying the equipment for turbulence experienced by ships/submarines.

The MOD said in a statement: “This capability gap has been overcome by the Chief Quality Assurance Establishment (Warship Equipment) Bengaluru, with major augmentation of its infrastructure, which includes a first-of-its-kind, indigenously developed Ship Motion Test Platform (SMTP).

“The SMTP has been indigenously designed and developed to meet qualification requirements for ship motion in extreme marine conditions up to Sea State 7.”

The upgraded NETF facility also features ‘High Ramp Rate Thermal Cycling Chamber’ for accelerated climatic testing.

Furthermore, it includes test facilities such as ‘Mould Growth Test Chamber’ and ‘Dust/Salt/Tilt/Drop/Immersion’ for military equipment.

All test facilities at Bengaluru’s NETF are available for use by the defence and aerospace industry, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and other start-ups.

The Indian MoD recently revealed the successful firing of Combat Kh35E anti-ship missiles on 31 January.