GE Marine’s LM2500 Engine to Power USS Cincinnati (LCS 20)

Posted on August 12, 2015 Josh Parker Ship and Marine Equipment

The US Navy has contracted GE Marine for the power plants of its newest littoral combat ship, dubbed the USS Cincinnati.

GE Marine’s Vice President of Marine Operations Brien Bolsinger said,

“We are excited to learn that the US Navy has adopted GE Aviation’s hometown as the moniker for the LCS 20, given that the USS Cincinnati will be propelled by GE’s reliable LM2500 engines to be built locally, just a few minutes-drive from downtown Cincinnati.”

The prime contractor for the USS Cincinnati and other Independence-class littoral combat ships is Austal USA. Primary construction on the vessels is done at the ship builder’s Mobile, Alabama facility. Under a five-year contract, GE will deliver 20 LM2500 gas turbine engines to Austal USA in support of the LCS program.

The simple-cycle, double-shaft, high-performance LM2500 marine engine is GE’s most popular gas turbine engine. Currently employed by 33 navies worldwide, the LM2500 is the powerhouse behind numerous frigates, corvettes, destroyers, patrol boats, aircraft carriers, and cargo ships. Comprised of a power turbine, gas generator, attached fuel and lube oil pumps, a fuel control and speed governing system, associated inlet and exhaust sections, lube and scavenge systems, the 33,000-shp LM2500 is present on more than 400 ships patrolling the seas today.

The dimensions of the engine is as follows:

Base plate width: 104 in (2.64 m)
Base plate length: 549 in (13.94 m)
Enclosure height: 157 in (3.98 m)
Base plate weight: 198,000 lb (435,600 kg)
Duct flow areas: Inlet: 48 sq ft (4.46 sq m); Exhaust: 30 sq ft (3.34 sq m)
Output: 24,050 kW
Heat rate: 9,421 Btu/kW-hr
Thermal efficiency: 36%

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