Marine propulsion specialist Fairbanks Morse has been awarded a contract to build and deliver the four main propulsion diesel engines (MPDE) for the sixth ship in the US Navy’s Expeditionary Transfer Dock (ESD)/Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) program.
The ESB 6 will be constructed by General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego, California, and the MPDEs will be built by Fairbanks Morse at its Beloit, Wisconsin, manufacturing facility.
“We’re pleased to be working with General Dynamics NASSCO to deliver these … power systems for the US Navy’s ESD/ESB program ,” Fairbanks Morse President Deepak Navnith commented.
The four FM | MAN 6L48/60 Common Rail (CR) engines are each rated at 6,480 kW and will deliver a total of 25,920 kW of installed power. The common rail system technology uses a common high-pressure fuel header, high-pressure pumps, electronically controlled fuel delivery, electronic governing system, and a new control system to deliver a precise amount of fuel throughout all engine operations.
As explained, the common rail technology will deliver improved specific fuel consumption at all operating points, resulting in significant savings by the US Navy over the operational lifetime of the power systems.
The ESBs are configured with a 52,000 square-foot flight deck, fuel and equipment storage, repair spaces, magazines, mission planning spaces and accommodations for up to 250 personnel.
The ships are capable of supporting multiple missions including Air Mine Counter Measures (AMCM), counter-piracy operations, maritime security operations, humanitarian aid and disaster relief missions, and US Marine Corps crisis response. They will also support MH-53 and MH-60 helicopters and will be upgraded to support MV-22 tilt rotor aircraft.