SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
The Indian Navy has unveiled its vision for the Jalkapi, a next-generation Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) designed for extended underwater survey missions. This ambitious project aims to provide the Navy with a powerful tool for gathering critical data from the depths of the ocean.
The Jalkapi boasts an impressive mission endurance of 45 days at sea. This extended operational capability is achieved through onboard recharging using a diesel generator, allowing the AUV to replenish its batteries and continue its mission without needing to return to a support vessel.
The preliminary design, developed by the Indian Navy’s Directorate of Naval Design (DND(SDG)), emphasizes the use of commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) components for payloads, sensors, batteries, and other associated systems. This approach is likely to streamline development and potentially reduce costs.
The Jalkapi will be equipped with a comprehensive sensor package, including Electro-optical/Infrared (EO/IR) cameras for capturing high-resolution visual data. Multi-beam Echo Sounder for detailed seabed mapping, Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD) sensor for collecting oceanographic data.Electronic Support Measures (ESM) for detecting electronic signals.Passive bow and/or flank sonar for obstacle detection and underwater navigation.
The detailed design, fabrication, integration, and testing of the Jalkapi AUV prototype will be undertaken by an industry partner, specifically a Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME). The Jalkapi AUV has the potential to be a game-changer for the Indian Navy, enabling it to conduct comprehensive underwater surveys over vast areas and long durations. This will be instrumental in gathering crucial data for tasks like defence, resource exploration, and oceanographic research.
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