New Delhi | A state-of-the-art premier testing and evaluation hub for sonar systems meant for the Indian Navy was inaugurated by DRDO chairman Samir V Kamat on Wednesday, officials said.

Submersible Platform for Acoustic Characterisation and Evaluation (SPACE) was inaugurated at Underwater Acoustic Research Facility, Kulamavu, in Idukki, Kerala, the defence ministry said in a statement.

Set up by the Naval Physical & Oceanographic Laboratory of the DRDO, SPACE 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," it said.

The hub marks a milestone in naval technology advancement.

"It will consist of two distinct assemblages -- a platform which floats on the water surface, and a submersible platform which can be lowered to any depth upto 100 m using winch systems. Upon completion of operations, the submersible platform can be winched up and docked with the floating platform," the statement said.

SPACE will mainly be utilised for evaluation of complete sonar system, allowing for quick deployment and easy recovery of scientific packages such as sensors and transducers, officials said.

"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," the statement said.