The Vikrant, the Indian Navy’s newest carrier, was put into service on September 2, 2022. It has four LM2500 engines that put out 88 MW and give it a top speed of 28 knots. The addition of the Vikrant to the Indian Navy’s fleet is a big win for the government’s “Make in India” programme, since 76% of the ship’s parts are made in India.
This makes India one of only a few countries that make their own aircraft carriers (IAC). With the launch of the Vikrant, the Indian Navy now has 18 GE Marine engines in use. More engines are being made to support the ongoing construction of Project 17A ships.
The IAC project began in 2007, and when it was chosen, GE Marine said that the ship would be powered by LM2500 marine gas turbines and built by Indian partner Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The carrier is 262 metres long, has 14 decks, can hold a crew of 1,700 people, and can operate 30 planes.
Between August 2021 and July 2022, the Vikrant went through four stages of sea trials of its major equipment and systems. “Today is a big day for the Indian Navy because they just put their first aircraft carrier into service. GE Marine is proud to be the ship’s power source.” The Vice President and General Manager of GE Marine, Kris Shepherd, said, “We are committed to supporting India’s own military programmes through our long-standing relationships in the country.”
GE has worked with HAL for more than 30 years. HAL puts together, inspects, and tests all of the LM2500 gas turbines that are made for the Indian Navy. The LM2500 gas turbine kits were made at GE’s factory in Evendale, Ohio.
The Industrial & Marine Gas Turbine Division of HAL in Bangalore, India put them together and tested them. HAL is one of the best aerospace companies in the world. It makes and fixes aeroplanes, helicopters, avionics, and defence equipment for the aerospace industry.
With GE’s world-leading gas turbine, the Indian Navy and 39 other navies around the world have support on land and at sea, as well as the ability to work with ships from other allies. GE has put gas turbines on 633 naval ships around the world.
They also make 95% of the gas turbines used for propulsion in the US Navy fleet. The LM2500 has a great track record of being ready for battle, and it is easy to maintain and has support around the world. This makes it the gas turbine of choice for navies around the world.
The gas turbine business for GE Marine is part of GE Aviation, which is based in Cincinnati, Ohio. GE is one of the biggest companies in the world that makes products, systems, and solutions for marine propulsion. These include aeroderivative gas turbines that range from 4.6 to 52.7 megawatts (4.6 to 70,656 shaft horsepower) To find out more, go to ge.com/marine.
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