EVENDALE, OHIO - GE Marine Engines' LM2500 aeroderivative gas turbines and main reduction gears have been selected for use aboard the Italian Navy's new Andrea Doria aircraft carrier. The aircraft carrier is being designed by FINCANTIERI Direzione Navi Militari in Genoa, Italy and built at FINCANTIERI's Riva Trigoso, Italy shipyard. 



"GE was chosen for this project because of our state-of-the-art gas turbine and main reduction gear technology, as well as the extensive experience accumulated using these products throughout the world in a variety of marine applications," said Karl Matson, general manager of GE Marine Engines. "A particular benefit to navies is that the LM2500 is an efficient and highly-reliable gas turbine, and when combined with our hardened and ground gears, the equipment offers extremely quiet operation." 



GE has been a supplier to the Italian Navy for many years. To date the company has provided a total of 40 LM2500 gas turbines for its Lupo-, Maestrale- and Artigliere-class frigates, its De la Penne-class destroyer and its Garbaldi aircraft carrier, all designed and built by FINCANTIERI. 



Four LM2500 gas turbines will be used in a Combined Gas turbine and Gas (COGAG) turbine configuration aboard the Andrea Doria aircraft carrier. Each of the two gear units will provide approximately 60,000 shaft horsepower and will be driven by two LM2500 gas turbines. Similar configurations will be in the port and starboard engine rooms. 



Gears 



GE designed the complete main reduction gears and will manufacture the rotating gear elements using its new 1.6- and 4.0-meter CNC form grinding equipment. Installed in mid-2000 and late 2001 respectively, at GE's Lynn, Mass. facility, this new equipment replaces the generation grinding equipment from the 1980s. These high precision (DIN 1) machines enable the use of a CBN cutting wheel technology to profile grind marine gearing. To augment the grinders, a CNC gear inspection machine sits adjacent to the grinders in the same climate controlled facility. Together, these machine tools manufacture quality gearing for the Italian aircraft carrier as well as other marine applications. 



Under GE license, FINCANTIERI will manufacture the Andrea Doria gear casings, and will assemble and perform running tests of the complete gear units at its mechanical workshop in Riva Trigoso. 



Gearing Capabilities 



For nearly a century, GE has been involved in the design, manufacture and support of marine propulsion gearing for a variety of military and commercial marine customers. The Lynn Gear plant was built in 1942 to expand GE's manufacturing capabilities during World War II. 



Today, the facility employees more than 300 people in the 500,000-square-feet of space to support the design, manufacturing, assembly and test of complete gearboxes for any size vessel. GE gears offer high reliability, high performance, low noise and low life cycle costs. 



Working together with both manufacturing and engineering, GE's worldwide, experienced network of marine propulsion personnel provide timely, post-delivery field support. This frontline capability minimizes downtime and maximizes ship availability. GE's field engineers work closely with customers to provide high quality installation and operational assistance. 



GE will manufacture the LM2500 gas turbines at its Evendale, Ohio facility, and the gears at the Lynn plant for the Andrea Doria. GE will deliver the LM2500 gas turbines in the fourth quarter 2002. The main reduction gear elements will be delivered in the first quarter 2003. In addition, the company will provide FINCANTIERI with technical support and assistance during the manufacture, assembly, test and sea trials in Italy of the aircraft carrier. FINCANTIERI will deliver the aircraft carrier to the Italian Navy in June 2007. 



GE Marine Engines is part of GE Aircraft Engines and is headquartered in Evendale, Ohio. GE Marine Engines is the world's largest designer, developer and manufacturer of aeroderivative gas turbines for a variety of commercial and military marine propulsion applications. Visit GE Marine Engines on the Internet at www.geae.com.