INS Shivaji is the premier engineering training establishment specialising in imparting technical training to the officers and men of the Indian Navy. This establishment is located in the Sahayadri Ranges and is nestled in the picturesque surroundings of Lonavla near Pune. The NBCD School is a part of the training establishment and imparts specialised training and skills to the naval personnel in nuclear, biological and chemical defence, damage control and fire fighting.

A new training facility, the ‘Damage Control Simulator’ appropriately named Akshat or the undamageable, was inducted into the Navy at the NBCD School, INS Shivaji.

The commissioning of Akshat was a proud moment for the Indian Navy and the country. The facility, which is the first of its kind in the region, was commissioned by Vice Admiral AS Krishnan, Chief of Material, Indian Navy.

The state-of-the-art Akshat will improve the training of personnel on damage control aspects. Akshat is a three-deck structure, mounted on pivots, whose interiors resemble a naval war vessel. The entire structure can be rolled by hydraulic actuators upto fifteen degrees on either side at various speeds. Various types of damages like deck leaks, bulkhead leaks, distorted hatches, bulkheads and ruptured high-pressure pipes can be treated in the simulator.

The simulator incorporates a large number of safety features in order to ensure safety of the trainees. The facility will provide realistic damage scenarios and go a long way in preparing naval personnel for the hardships of battle at sea. Training provided in the simulator shall prove invaluable in rendering damaged warships combat-worthy quickly during war.

The construction of Akshat has been undertaken by M/s Goa Shipyard Limited as per Navy’s specifications. Akshat stands out as a fine example of the spirit of self-reliance through indigenisation