GE propulsion selected for US Navy’s next-generation ocean surveillance vessels

GE Aerospace won a contract, via Austal USA, to supply an LM2500+G4 marine gas turbine and related power-generation equipment for the U.S. Navy’s first Explorer-class ship, USNS Don Walsh.

The ship is now under construction at Austal USA’s Mobile, Alabama, facility and will use integrated electric propulsion.

The new Explorer class is designed to replace older surveillance vessels and improve undersea tracking of submarine activity.

The contract supports a quieter, more efficient platform for long-duration ocean surveillance missions.