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Submarines are amongst the most complex engineering creations. in terms of stringency of operating environment, number of components, intricate systems, and their unmatched payload. Design and development of submarines remains a highly challenging endeavour that only a few nations in the world have been able to undertake.
The submarines have come a truly long way in the past 150 years, from exotic inventions by individuals, to massive creations that involve thousands of highly skilled people. Today's underwater platforms encompass the best of compact, reliable, intelligent, and energy-efficient technologies and equipment. Every component needs to break new barriers in silencing, reliability, and capability, for the platform as a whole to gain the edge in a challenging and competitive domain where human lives hang in balance.
This webinar is intended to provide a platform for exchange of ideas and information on all facets of underwater platforms and technologies. Underwater operations are evolving today in the face of improved sensors, better silencing and greater autonomous capabilities. Platform design needs to transform towards greater efficiency, integration and adaptability. The latest technologies need to be backed up by academic research and industrial R&D. Equipment development requires particularly close partnership with private and public sector industries. Small, technology-driven firms can contribute to the thousands of niche areas that require development and integration. Construction of submarines, of course, requires industry to take the lead and transform designs into reality.
We need industry involvement in every aspect of submarine/underwater technology: materials, casting, forging, engines, pumps, compressors, valves, turbines, condensers, sensors, power systems, control systems, fittings, structures, devices, and dozens of other types of components. A typical submarine has more than 5000 types of equipment, and an even more number of components and spares.
As we look to the future, unmanned technologies beckon us. Unmanned systems can act as force multipliers for manned submarines in ways that we are still imagining. World over, academic institutions have been at the forefront of development of small unmanned underwater vehicles, which have application in oceanography, underwater exploration and the offshore industry. Coupled with the emerging capabilities of Artificial Intelligence, unmanned systems could transform our perspective of underwater domain awareness.
Areas of technology development and future platforms for which we need the support of industry and academia are given in two documents available in the open domain. The first is the 'Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap' (TPCR- 2018), available on the MoD website. The other is the 'Indian Naval Indigenisation Plan (INIP: 2015-2030), which is available on the Navy's website. These will Provide ample details for identifying areas of common interest and collaboration.
To further compress the gap between users and technology providers, a Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) has been created to provide a direct interface between the users and academia/industry. Several new programmes are on the anvil. and design and development to realise these dreams require a quantum jump in the involvement of academia and industry. The Directorate of Naval Design (Submarine Design Group) has grown over the past 35 years into the only organisation in the country that is able to undertake all stages of submarine design, from concept till detailed design. Our industry partners have supported us tremendously in this journey and we have been able to implement the most cutting- edge technologies in our design environment. In order to meet the tasks ahead, we need more intense engagement with industry and academic institutions in the years ahead.
The webinar is a step towards igniting young minds and energising experienced stalwarts. to think of new ideas and approaches for facing future technological challenges more effectively, efficiently, and indigenously.