PUNE: Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba will inaugurate a Nuclear Biological and Chemical (NBC) Training Facility at INS Shivaji in Lonavla on Monday to mark the platinum jubilee celebration of the institute. The facility will enhance the Navy’s operational capabilities .

The Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) has executed the project initiated in 2016. The new training facility is equipped with modern NBC training simulators as well sophisticated laboratories to create “real time” training situations.

“The simulator is unique across Asia. It would be used to train personnel of the Indian Navy and friendly foreign navies in defence of ships against an NBC attack or contamination,” an official said.

Former chairman and managing director of GSL Rear Admiral Shekhar Mital (retd) told TOI on Sunday, “The simulators are equipped with advanced sensors, which can detect and measure the exact contamination of NBC components in water and air, and can be used for training on how to nullify ship compartments and operate in case of an NBC attack. This real-time situation training will help sailors understand the nitty-gritty of the NBC threat in a detailed manner. In turn, it will enhance preparedness and operational capabilities of the navy in the future.”

The INS Shivaji already has modern damage control and fire simulators. “After the induction of the facility, several specialized courses related to NBC will be conducted for sailors as well as the officer cadre at the institute. Moreover, these three simulators will be used to carry out extensive combined drills during these courses in the future,” said a senior naval officer based in New Delhi.

Former navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash (retd) said that, considering the current security scenario, the possibility of an NBC attack in waters is more real now, albeit it has never taken place in the past. “Since all warships and submarines have got nuclear weapons and missiles, it is imperative for our personnel to be trained properly to operate in such adverse situations. The newly added facility will help the navy achieve such desired results,” he added.

According to him, Indian ships already have the necessary equipment on board to tackle this threat.

“The Indian Navy has always been prepared for NBC warfare hence all its ships are adequately equipped with required on-board facilities and NBC suits. It has also been conducting various courses at the NBCD school at INS Shivaji for many decades to train its sailors and officers,” Admiral Prakash added.

