EVENDALE, Ohio -- GE Marine announced that it will supply the Spanish shipbuilder, Navantia, Madrid, with two LM2500 aeroderivative gas turbines. The LM2500s will power two new Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) amphibious ships.
"We are pleased that the Royal Australian Navy has once again selected the reliable LM2500 gas turbine for this next-generation program," said Brien Bolsinger, general manager of GE Marine, Evendale, Ohio. "Most recently, the RAN also selected a Navantia ship design for its new Air Warfare Destroyers, which have a baseline propulsion system design featuring the LM2500 gas turbines," Bolsinger added.
In February 2007, Navantia and Australia's Tenix Group announced the two companies will jointly construct the two new LHD vessels. Navantia will oversee the ships' design and construction, power plants and platform control system. The Tenix Group will handle the construction of the superstructure and the bulk of the fit-out at its Melbourne facility.
The two Canberra-class LHD ships - to be named HMAS Canberra and HMAS Adelaide - will rely on one LM2500 gas turbine in a COmbined Diesel Electric And Gas turbine (CODLAG) configuration with diesel engines. The new LHD ships are expected to carry 1,000 personnel, six helicopters and 150 vehicles, and replace both HMAS Manoora and HMAS Kanimbla.
GE will manufacture the LM2500 gas turbines at its Evendale facility, and will deliver the gas turbine-generator sets in August 2009 and November 2010. The RAN is slated to launch the first LHD in March 2009, with commissioning in January 2013. The second LHD will be launched in October 2010, with commissioning to follow in June 2014.
GE has been a long-time engine supplier to the RAN, providing a total of 20 LM2500 gas turbines for a variety of ship programs. Twelve LM2500s power the RAN's FFG-7 Adelaide-class frigate program, along with 10 LM2500s and one spare engine for the RAN's ANZAC-class frigates. The Australian and New Zealand governments collaborated on the ANZAC program, constructing eight ships for the RAN and two for the Royal New Zealand Navy. The tenth and final ANZAC class ship, HMAS Perth, was commissioned into the RAN in August 2006.
GE Marine is one of the world's leading manufacturers of marine products and services, including gas turbines ranging from 6,000 to 57,300 shaft horsepower, and marine main reduction gearing.