Defexpo 2020: Rolls-Royce shares a rich heritage with the Indian Armed forces, dating back over eight decades when it powered the country’s first military aircraft. The company has played an integral role in securing the nation’s future with products that are aligned with India’s defence policy in the army, navy and air force segments. As part of this partnership, Rolls-Royce today has a very well developed naval and maritime presence in India.
With over 50 years of naval propulsion experience, Rolls-Roycehas pioneered some of the most important technical advances in marine propulsion including the use of aero gas turbines for surface ship propulsion. Today, with gas turbines on many key naval programmes, Rolls-Royce offers a world-leading range of integrated power and propulsion solutions for future fleets.
This portfolio includes the “mighty” MT30 marine gas turbine. It’s just over ten years since the MT30 first powered the US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) USS Freedom. Since then, and with a growing demand for power across the world’s navies, the world’s most power-dense in-service marine gas turbine is finding favour across the globe. Typically rated between 36MW to 40MW at 100 degrees Fahrenheit (depending on application), and with 100% power-retention through-life, the MT30 is powering some of the world’s most capable and advanced naval ships.
MT30 offers a superior power-to-weight ratio, generating up to 40MW from a 30-tonne packaged unit, including most of the auxiliary systems. It gives navies more power in less machinery space than alternative engine types, and offers ship designers much more options and flexibility in designing the naval vessels of tomorrow. The MT30 also supports the ‘lean manning’ concept by virtue of its ultra-low on-board maintenance requirement.
The MT30 is derived from the Rolls-Royce Trent aero family and its aerospace parentage with over 100 million flying hours accumulated has played a key part in the success of the engine, not only in its selection by a growing number of navies, but also in the performance we’ve seen over the past decade.
With ten years of operation under its belt, the MT30 is developing a track record of high reliability, emulating the success of the aero-parent. Naval ship building is a very long-cycle business, and with today’s new ships expected to operate for between 30 and 50 years, the propulsion system on a ship is there for the long haul and must be adequately future-proofed.
Choosing the right propulsion system is a crucial decision and it has to be the right decision to ensure a ship will still perform as its systems and capability are upgraded throughout its life. With growing demand for electrical power, for example, one needs a power source that can meet those future demands. The MT30 is operating or has been selected in all conceivable propulsion arrangements – mechanical, hybrid and integrated-electric, with power delivered to water-jets, controllable and fixed-pitch propellers, depending on application.
MT30’s growing reference list just demonstrates its unique versatility.2008 marked the entry into service for the MT30, powering the US Navy’s first Littoral Combat Ship, USS Freedom, to increase its speed in excess of 40kts. MT30 alternator packages provide the power for the US Navy’s Zumwalt class destroyers and the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carriers with both vessels operating a full electric propulsion configuration. The Italian Navy’s future flagship, the Landing Helicopter Dock, is powered by two MT30s. A single, uniquely power-dense MT30 sits at the heart of the Republic of Korea Navy’s new Daegu class frigates, the Royal Navy’s innovative Type 26 City Class, the Royal Australian Navy’s new Hunter class, the Royal Canadian Navy’s Canadian Surface Combatant and the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force’s new 30FFM frigates.
There is much potential for this product to power the vessels of the Indian Navy. At the same time, Rolls-Royce’s commitment to support India’s goals of indigenisation and self-reliance remain as strong as ever. The company is well placed to support India’s ‘Make in India’ campaign, demonstrated by successfully transferring whole-engine capability, knowledge and expertise in multi-national combat engine programmes.
Trusted and demonstrated partners in progress, cutting edge global product, emergent Indian naval need and the nation’s priority of indigenisation make MT30 the ideal product of choice for the Indian Navy in the 21st century.
The company remains firmly committed to building on Rolls-Royce’s rich heritage of partnership with the Indian defence forces.Rolls-Royce is ready to serve the needs of the Indian Navy and is keen to customise its advanced technology products to best serve the Navy’s power needs.
Kishore Jayaraman, Louise Donaghey and GS Selwyn at Rolls-Royce interactive session at DefExpo 2020
Kishore Jayaraman, President, Rolls-Royce, India and South Asia at DefExpo 2020