NATO DIANA Test Centres

Newfoundland and Labrador is home to two NATO DIANA test centres, the Marine Institute’s The Launch and the National Research Council of Canada’s Ocean, Coastal and River Engineering Research Centre, both located within the capital region. This dual centre presence provides a structural advantage, supporting an end-to-end pipeline for Testing, Evaluation, Verification, and Validation that moves technologies from early-stage development to deployment ready systems. Federal researchers, academic partners, and industry operate in close proximity, enabling coordinated collaboration and efficient project delivery.

The National Research Council provides large scale indoor testing infrastructure, including ice tanks, towing tanks, and wave basins designed to simulate naval hydrodynamics and structural conditions, while The Launch complements this with a real-world testing environment featuring subsea telemetry, secure communications systems, and direct access to open North Atlantic waters. Together, these facilities support testing of autonomous systems, undersea robotics, and advanced sensing and communications, advancing defence technologies through higher Technology Readiness Levels.

• Supports development and validation of defence technologies
• Provides integrated testing environments from simulation to real-world deployment
• Enables collaboration between federal, academic, and industry partners
• Supports advancement of technologies to higher readiness levels

• Unmatched Dual-Centre Concentration: One of the few jurisdictions in the alliance to host two distinct NATO DIANA test centres, The Launch and the National Research Council (NRC), creating a dense, hyper-efficient pipeline for defense validation.
• World-Class Physical Assets: Access to the NRC’s ice tanks, towing tanks, and wave basins, providing unparalleled simulated environments for testing naval hulls and structures.
• Real-World “Living Lab” Infrastructure: The Launch offers an exceptional comprehensive “seabed-to-sky” testing environment with subsea telemetry, private wireless networks, and rapid access to open, deep-water environments.
• Streamlined TEVV Process: Seamless execution of Testing, Evaluation, Verification, and Validation (TEVV) protocols, utilizing federal and academic scientists to fast-track technologies through high Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs).
• Global Allied Magnet: Positions the province as a magnet for international defense start-ups, military procurement officers, and tier-one defense contractors seeking verified, alliance-compliant technologies.