GE To Power UK Navy Ships With Electrical Propulsion

GE Power Conversion business has won the design, development and assessment (DDA) contract to provide the electric propulsion systems to Type 26 Global Combat Ships of the UK Navy.

BAE systems chose GE Power Conversion Business for the program. The UK Ministry of Defense has engaged in a major program to update and upgrade its current fleet of frigates. In the next decade, Type 26 Global Combat Ships are to replace Royal Navy’s existing Type 23 Frigates.

The Type 26 will incorporate the latest in hybrid propulsion technology: at low speeds, it will run on an electric drive system taking power from the gas turbine.

Mark Dannatt, naval business leader for GE’s Power Conversion business, said, “GE has supplied electrical power and propulsion systems for majority of Royal Navy’s surface warships. It also built the electric power and propulsion system for U.K.’s two new aircraft carriers being assembled at Rosyth. The electrical power and propulsion system for four Royal Fleet Auxilliary MARS tankers to be built in South Korea is also being designed by GE”.

“A key requirement was that the ship’s propulsion system had to be very quiet in order to maximize the operability of the 13 Type 26 ships,” he added.

Under current plans, 13 Type 26 Global Combat ships will be delivered to the Royal Navy.