Gas turbine order for Australian Navy

GE Marine has announced that it is supplying LM2500-based propulsion systems for two new Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) amphibious ships. The vessels are being built in Spain, at the Navantia, Madrid, yard, under a joint contract with Australia?s Tenix Group.

Navantia will oversee the ships? design and construction, power plants and platform control system. Tenix 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.

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 says that it has been a long-time engine supplier to the RAN, providing a total of 20 LM2500 gas turbines for a variety of ship programmes.