Engine manufacturer Fairbanks Morse announced it has been awarded a contract to build and deliver the four main propulsion diesel engines (MPDE) that will power the US Navy’s first Flight II San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship LPD 30.
The US Navy awarded Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division a $165.5 million contract for LPD 30 in August this year.
The newly designed ship will be based on the San Antonio-class hull, but the LPD Flight II is fitted with a fully capable flight deck and hangar, a well deck, and the vehicle and cargo capacities to support and sustain more than 500 combat-equipped Marines for up to 30 days.
Each engine will feature common rail (CR) fuel injection technology.
The engines are scheduled to be delivered in the second and third quarters of 2020 to Huntington Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
Fairbanks Morse will then support installation, testing, and sea trials for the vessel. The four sequentially turbocharged 16-cylinder FM | Colt-Pielstick PC 2.5 diesel engines with CR fuel injection will deliver over 31 MW of propulsion power.
“As an American manufacturer of medium speed engines, we take great pride in delivering engines and systems for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard. This contract is particularly special as it is for the first LPD Flight II class ship,” said Deepak Navnith, Fairbanks Morse president. “As a company, we place significant value on innovation and it was at the heart of this win. The common rail fuel injection technology on the LPD PC 2.5 engines will lower total lifecycle costs for the Navy by reducing fuel consumption, lowering emissions, and reducing engine maintenance, enabling the Navy to spend more time at sea at a lower cost.”