X-Craft cat christened

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) today christened its new X-Craft high-speed catamaran at the Nichols Brothers Boat Builders shipyard in Freeland, Washington. The innovative X-Craft, designed by Nigel Gee & Associates, is powered by an integrated propulsion system that includes GE Transportation?s LM2500 aero derivative marine gas turbines and MTU diesel engines.

“We are delighted that our LM2500 gas turbines were selected for this high technology project,” said Jeff Martin, director of U.S. government programs for GE Transportation?s marine gas turbine business, who was in attendance at the ceremony. “The christening of the X-Craft takes this concept from theory to reality, and sets the stage for future US Navy next-generation projects,” he added.

Two MTU 16V 595 TE90 diesel engines and two GE LM2500 gas turbines supplied by MTU are used in a COmbined Diesel Or Gas turbine (CODOG) configuration with a specially built combining gearbox. The system propels the X-Craft with four water jets to speeds of more than 50 knots.

The ship?s monitoring and control system are MTU?s modern MCS5 Type 2 and RCS 5 system. In addition, the ship?s electric power supply is generated by four diesel generator-sets with MTU Series 60 diesel engines.

The high-speed aluminum X-Craft consists of hull geometry and a design displacement of approximately 1,100 long tons. The vessel has two helicopter landing spots capable of handling a variety of aircraft up to the size of the H-60 helicopter, and its mission module bay can fully support multiple mission packages simultaneously.