Diving and Hyperbaric Test Centre opens

QinetiQ operates the centre in support of the Ministry of Defence and commercial organisations providing assurance that diving equipment is safe and effective in use. QinetiQ experts working in the DHTC use the facilities to help avoid human casualties and in the past have set world records for hyperbaric activities. The newly refurbished facilities within the DHTC includes some of the UK’s leading hyperbaric testing chambers and tanks and have been restored to the very highest standards.

When located on the QinetiQ Alverstoke site a range of diving and hyperbaric test facilities were extensively used to support the development and testing of military submarine escape and rescue systems, diving equipment and decompression procedures. It is these facilities that are now located in the new Centre which opened last month, and join the world leading hydrodynamic facilities on the QinetiQ Haslar site.

Sarah Kenny, managing director of QinetiQ Maritime said, “I am delighted to see that QinetiQ and the Ministry of Defence have invested to secure the future availability of leading edge diving and hyperbaric test facilities on our site, which will be available to commercial as well as military users.

“QinetiQ staff working at the Haslar site offer a unique knowledge and expertise in maritime related technologies including hydrodynamics, propulsion, environmental chemistry, diving and submarine escape and rescue. The co-location of the DHTC with the existing Ocean Basin and Ship Tank at Haslar presents customers with a unique range of maritime test facilities. Recently the Haslar teams have joined experts based all over the UK to form QinetiQ Maritime, bringing together the survivability, structures, shock testing, noise and vibration capabilities from Rosyth and the in-service support services from QinetiQ’s ranges cross the UK.”