ISTANBUL, TURKEY -- GE Marine and TUSAS Engine Industries, Inc. (TEI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) whereby GE and TEI will explore additional localization efforts relating to the manufacture, assembly and repair of GE’s LM2500 and LM500 gas turbines, the companies announced today at the IDEF ’21 industry exhibition.
“GE Marine and TEI have partnered in Turkey for many years. With this MOU in place, we hope to discover other opportunities for TEI to play a critical role in supporting the Turkish shipbuilding industry in partnership with GE Marine,” said Steve Rogers, EMEA Business Development and Sales Director, GE Marine. “Our philosophy is to provide in-country support from build to delivery to lifetime maintenance of GE’s gas turbines,” Rogers added.
Under the MOU, GE and TEI will continue discussions on localization relating to the manufacture, assembly, test, maintenance, inspection, repair, and overhaul of Turkey’s national and exported fleet of marine GE LM2500 family and LM500 gas turbines. The MOU also seeks ways to incorporate TEI into various design processes for potential naval programs.
“Since 1985, with its partner GE, TEI has been a major player in the defense and aerospace industries by manufacturing high quality aero engine components, rendering preeminent in-service support for military and commercial engines, and producing and servicing its indigenous engines not only for national needs but also global OEMs and end-users,” said Mahmut Faruk Akşit, Ph.D., CEO and President of TEI. “With this signed MOU, TEI will have the opportunity to become an approved and certified OEM service provider to Turkey’s marine engines and exported fleet of LM2500 family and LM500 gas turbines. This collaboration also will enable the localization efforts in design, component manufacturing, assembly and test of such aeroderivative gas turbines and open new doors for utilizing the capability of other local companies and organic depots in the ecosystem,” Akşit added.
LM2500 for Turkish Naval Forces
The LM2500 family — the base LM2500 (25.1 MW), LM2500+ (30.2 MW) and the LM2500+G4 (35.3 MW) — all are two spool engines that offer quick start capabilities, easy on-board maintenance, and an outstanding worldwide fleet performance of greater than 99% reliability and more than 98% availability.
GE has long been a trusted supplier to the Turkish Naval Forces. In fact, all of Turkey’s MILGEM multi-purpose corvettes are powered by a GE LM2500 and two diesel engines in a combined diesel and gas turbine configuration. Additionally, 24 LM2500s operate aboard the Turkish Navy’s Barbaros- and Gabya-class frigates, and two LM2500 engines will power the DIMDEG Fleet Replenishment Ship currently under construction.
GE Marine’s vast in-country experience makes the LM2500 and LM500 gas turbines ideal for the Turkish Naval Forces’ new TF2000 and Fast Attack ship programs, respectively.
Lightweight composite module
In 2020, GE delivered its first new lightweight LM2500 composite gas turbine module to Austal USA for the future USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32). GE also celebrated the completion of the first new module for the Arleigh Burke destroyer USS Ted Stevens (DDG 128).
This new module, which was fully certified by the United States Navy in 2019 after receiving MIL-S-901D shock qualification, offers these benefits:
- One-piece composite carbon fiber construction eliminates corrosion
- Shock, fire, and smoke tested
- 5,500 lb wall weight reduction versus steel
- Improved sound attenuation; 60% (4 dBA)
- Reduced wall temperature (25°F to 50°F cooler)
- Improved entrance with access doors that are 60% lighter, 6” taller than steel design; large 8”x 18” viewing window; new, large external plenum access panel; and larger, lighter rear panel for easier maintenance access.
Worldwide support
With a GE gas turbine, navies have worldwide support whether onshore or at sea, and interoperability benefits with other allied ships. GE has delivered gas turbines onboard 646 naval ships serving 40 navies worldwide and provides 95% of the commissioned propulsion gas turbines in the United States Navy fleet. With GE’s split casing compressor and power turbine design, in-situ maintenance is allowed, often making a gas turbine removal unnecessary; navies save millions of dollars a year and weeks/months of ship unavailability.
GE Marine gas turbine business is part of GE Aviation and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. GE is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of marine propulsion products, systems and solutions including aeroderivative gas turbines ranging from 6,100 to 70,656 shaft horsepower/4.6 to 52.7 megawatts. These gas turbines reliably operate the world over in some of the most arduous conditions in temperatures ranging from -40 to 120 degrees F/-40 to 48 degrees C. For more information, visit ge.com/marine.
###
For further information, contact:
GE Marine Turkey: Selami Yumurtaci + 90 533 3892949 [email protected]
GE Marine USA: Ms. Lela R. Katzman, +1.518.785.4416, [email protected]