EVENDALE, Ohio -- GE Marine Engines announced it would supply Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. (IHI) with six LM500 aeroderivative gas turbines. The gas turbines will be used to power two 11PG high-speed patrol boats being built for the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF)."This project illustrates that the LM500 continues to find a home for a variety of applications such as this new class of high-speed patrol boats which will be part of JMSDF's PGX fleet," said Bill Millhaem, general manager of GE Marine Engines. "The lightweight, high-power density properties of the LM500 make this gas turbine an excellent choice for weight-sensitive, high-speed applications."Each 11PG mono-hull patrol boat will be equipped with three 6,000-shaft horsepower LM500 gas turbines driving waterjets. The 200-ton boats will be capable of reaching speeds in excess of 44 knots. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will be building the patrol boats at its Shimonoseki, Japan shipyard. The first 11PG will be commissioned in 2002.Including this order, there are 33 LM500 gas turbines in or slated for marine propulsion service. In fact, three JMSDF high-speed hydrofoils use a total of five LM500s.Other applications that feature this gas turbine are on 14 Danish Navy's Stanflex 300 patrol boats and two Foilcat high-speed catamaran ferries that operate in Hong Kong. In addition, there are 14 LM500 gas turbines used in various industry applications for cogeneration and gas compression. IHI is a GE Marine Systems Supplier, and is headquartered in Tokyo. To date, IHI has or will package 45 LM gas turbines for marine propulsion, and 70 LMs for various power generation applications throughout the world.
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 at Marine Propulsion section of our website.