Spotligh on industry: General Electric Military Engines Operation

Sea Power, Jun 2001

Sea Power: Mr. Sparks, you describe one of your aircraft engines as "The engine with the future built in. What should this tell us about your approach to engine design and production?

Sparks: Beginning with the GE90-115B, which will be the most powerful gasturbine engine in service, GE [General Electric] will certify seven new engines in three years in the most ambitious engine-development program in our history. Funding this development has challenged us, but it is something we just have to do to maintain leadership in gas-turbine propulsion.

In our marine-- engine business, the first gas-turbine cruise ship, Celebrity Cruises' Millennium, began revenue service last June. Seventeen gas-turbine cruise ships will soon enter service-all powered by GE. These ships incorporate the latest in electric drive-a technology the U.S. Navy will use in the future. GE is building that future now in the commercial market and can deliver immediate value to the U.S. Navy when needed.

How do GE engine performance, reliability, and life-cycle costs compare with earlier models?

By every measure, our GE statistics are world-class and getting better. Airlines now fly twin-engine GE 90-powered aircraft across the Pacific where twin-- engine flight was unthinkable not that long ago. Since the LM2500 engine entered Navy service, GE has improved power by 37 percent, reduced fuel consumption by 7 percent, and doubled the overhaul interval. When the U.S. Navy qualifies the LM2500 , those numbers will be even better in terms of what we have done with only minimal external changes to the engine.

The challenge is to continue delivering value in marine applications, which is a smaller market than industrial and aviation applications. GE's approach looks at flying, industrial, and marine gas turbines as mutually supporting products. Common technology and support infrastructure benefit all.

If it doesn't fly, and if it doesn't make electricity for industry, it shouldn't go on a ship-unless wealthy marine customer is willing to fund life-cycle support alone. Looking at gas turbines in an integrated way allows us to continue delivering performance and reliability for marine applications in an economically sustainable way.

GE's Joint Strike Fighter [JSF] F120 FX engine is one of the two primary propulsion systems for the new multi-- role fighter. What sets it apart from the pack?

GE's JSF approach assembles the best technologies and resources available globally with our international alliance with Rolls Royce, AADC [Allison Advanced Development Company], and other international participants. GE is developing a multistage blisk compressor. AADC and GE are jointly developing a coupled-turbine system featuring an integrated high-pressure/low-pressure counter-rotating design, while AADC is responsible for the combustor-diffuser system and the gearbox. Rolls Royce is developing an increased-flow, three-- stage, long-chord hollow titanium blisk fan. Philips is leading a team to develop a variety of engine components. These leading companies will produce a quality product that will meet JSF program goals.

Does the operational environment at sea pose any unusual design challenges in your Navy and commercial programs?

The most obvious environmental factor at sea is salt. Special coatings must be applied to the hot parts of the engine. This technology has been in place for many years, but it continues to evolve to more effective coatings that can extend part life dramatically.

The marine maintenance-and-support challenge also is unique. When an airplane has a problem, an army of mechanics can fix it in the hangar. Ships must operate self-sufficiently for long periods. Our gas turbines have a record with the U.S. Navy and other navies of operating more than 20,000 hours without any shore-based depot maintenance-about seven years for a Navy ship. The need for reduced manning on DD 21 [land-attack destroyer] and on commercial ships means that low-risk propulsion design and remote monitoring systems will become increasingly important.

Our marine derivatives must meet U.S. Navy shock requirements. The key is to align your marine-propulsion system to flying propulsion systems for a more robust system design that can survive severe shock.

You are a leading contender for the propulsion engines for the DD 21. Is there anything you can tell us about this program?

The DD 21 program embodies today's spending environment. The Navy clearly needs enhanced warfighting capabilities. But, looking at funding, it's hard to see how we will make it happen. To the extent the Navy uses widely available commercial systems for DD 21, industry can price the product and support it incrementally with viable commercial product lines-at reduced cost to the Navy. Military requirements will require some unique systems on DD 21, and the Navy will bear the risk and cost for them. But our DD 21 propulsion offering is built on our commercial gas-turbine generator sets already used in large electric-drive cruise ships. This approach delivers the best value at lowest risk to the Navy.