NSTL to set up new facility

Visakhapatnam: The Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) here is setting up a new facility at a cost of Rs 100 crore to study the impact of waves on ships and the work on the project will begin soon, according to Dr V. Bhujanga Rao, Director.

At a press meet on the occasion of the National Technological Day celebrations in the lab, the Director said the project would be completed in four years. The new facility – along with the cavitation tunnel and high speed towing tank – would make the NSTL the only laboratory of its kind, Dr Bhujanga Rao said.

Currently, he said, the naval ships were being sent abroad to conduct the specialised studies required for assessing the impact of waves on ships and the proposed facility at the NSTL would fulfil the need.

Dr Bhujanga Rao said the order for production of advanced lightweight torpedoes, developed by the NSTL, had been placed with Bharat Dynamics Ltd, Hyderabad. In the heavy weight torpedo category, the NSTL was working on torpedoes based on electric propulsion and thermal engines. He said the BDL would set up unit here soon. He said the NSTL was working on advanced submersibles and autonomous underwater vehicles and they would be launched by the end of 2009.