The 40th State Research Institute of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation (5th branch of the Military Educational-and-Research Centre Naval Academy) is the main scientific organization carrying out research on developing SAR system for prevention and elimination emergency at sea or any water basin of Russia.

On January 3, 1945 the Staff of the Research Institute on SAR operations was announced in the encyclical letter received from the Chief of Naval Staff № 038 and designated as the Staff №12/447.

By the end of 1948 members of the staff numbered 183. The Naval Bureau on Research and Development, troop of experimental ships and underwater welding station were assigned to the Institute.

In August, 1961 the USSR Council of Ministers issued a specific decision «On development of rescue assets for naval operations». The Decree №00130, received from the Chief of Naval Operations, determined main objectives on development of rescue equipment to be used in case of emergency on submarine, and followed the previous decision. Due to the Decree № 00130, the 228th Central Research Institute on SAR operations of the Navy was renamed as the 91th Research and Testing Center with partially reorganized structure, located in the town of Lomonosov (the Leningrad region), including facilities both at the territory of the port and at the street Morskaya, 4 as a construction site for the future laboratory.

In March, 1993 due to the RF Government Decree №174 40, the 40th Research Institute was reformed into the State Institute with the Coordinating Board as a subordinate body, focused on scientific and technological issues.

Major directions of research were the following ones:

• research on development of SAR support system to be implemented at sea or inland waters of Russia;
• working out normative standards for system of prevention and elimination of any emergency at sea or inland waters of Russia;
• working out tactics on conducting SAR, deep-water, salvage and combined undersea operations;
• proving the need of creation specific assets for carrying out above-mentioned operations;
• participating in SAR operations;
• arranging and carrying out tests of SAR equipment;
• working out standards for hyperbaric and SAR equipment;
• training specialists for conducting SAR operations.

Another research direction of the Institute is working out methods and means for individual and collective rescue operations of submarine crew in case of emergency, with using the following equipment included:

• rescue equipment ISAM, ISP-60, SSP;
• rescue diving cameras and rafts;
• rescue bells SK-57, SK-64;
• rescue diving assets.

Due to requirements, worked out at the Institute, more than 340 samples of SAR and diving equipment have been already produced for the Navy purposes.

Development of lifeboats, SAR ships and appropriate command systems was carried out at the Institute to meet the demands of the Navy.

Scientists of the Institute participated in design, construction, testing and experimental operation of various rescue tugs, diving boats and crafts and ships, designed for fire control, etc.

At the disposal of the Institute are:

• a unique research laboratory and testing facilities, with the capability of testing SAR equipment and carrying out experiments both underwater and at atmosphere, using hyperbaric systems;
• special diving equipment;
• Design and Construction Bureau;
• Information center;
• patent file.

1999-current: the guideline has been worked out on the basis of previous tests of modern SAR equipment, intended to be used in the Navy: deep sea diving suit HS-1200, remotely operated underwater vehicle «Tiger», «Venom», «Panther Plus», etc.

In 1995-2007 all provisional instruments, regulating organization of the Navy SAR supporting system – had been worked out by the specialists of the 40th Research Institute, SAR command authority.

Specialists of the Institute exercise supervision over main activities related to the SAR support of the Navy.