Fairbanks Morse Engine (FME), a division of Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD), has shipped two main propulsion diesel engines for the future USNS Earl Warren (T-AO 207), the US Navy’s new John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oiler.
These are the fifth and sixth engines Fairbanks Morse Engine has made for the T-AO program.
The engines are traveling from Beloit, Wisconsin to FME’s customer National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) in San Diego, California via railroad. Upon arrival, they will be installed in the hull of the ship.
According to Fairbanks Morse, the engines feature common rail (CR) technology, which provides an advanced control system to deliver precise amounts of fuel throughout all engine operations. Common rail technology can be used on engines for both propulsion and auxiliary applications and provides improved engine performance, increased fuel efficiency, reduced engine noise, and lower emission levels in comparison to their mechanically injected counterparts.
USNS Earl Warren started construction in December 2020 and is scheduled for delivery in 2023.
It is the third of six vessels in the navy’s John Lewis-class fleet oiler program.
The first unit from the batch, the future USNS John Lewis (T-AO 205), was launched at NASSCO in January this year.
GD-NASSCO is also in production on the future USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206), which started construction in August, with delivery planned in 2022, and USNS Robert F. Kennedy (T-AO 208) , which started construction last month.