A Revival in Heavy Engineering
The mere mention of heavy engineering makes most think of a bygone world when the United Kingdom excelled in industry and was a world beater. Even now, heavy engineering plays a part in modern infrastructure such as the construction of new power plant, Sizewell C being a classic example. The UK still has firms such as Rolls Royce that excel in that sector. JCB is another British company that exports all over the world.
BAE Systems has won a new contract in connection with the M777 howitzer and major titanium components will be manufactured at a new plant in Sheffield. The restart of production was driven by a more fractious geo-political environment after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
This weapon has been exported to other countries such as India and Australia. A variant of this known as Archer is being put into service with the British Army. Other examples have been donated to the Ukrainian Army and have seen frontline service. This contract is worth the equivalent of £124 million.
Fairbanks Morse Defence has won a contract to provide a new class of diesel generator engine for the DDG(X) test site. DDG(X) will ultimately emerge as the US Navy’s next major surface combatant and ultimately replace Ticonderoga class cruisers and the earlier variants of the Arleigh Burke class. The FM 175D generator can produce 3.8MW of power. This was launched by Fairbanks in 2023 to meet a growing demand for new high range power solutions in the defence sector.
Roll Royce has also seen its flagship product, the MT30 power plant, selected for new vessels for the Republic of Korea Navy. 20 units will go into new frigates such as the Chungnam class ASW frigate programme. ASW is short for Anti-submarine warfare. MTU designed M43 diesel engines will also be assembled under licence in South Korea by STX Engines. This turbine has been proven at sea and also powers the Queen Elizabeth class carriers.
The MT-30 gas turbine has also been selected by Canada to go into the new River class destroyers based on the British Type 26 frigate design. Rolls Royce will also manufacture the Mission Bay handling system and MTU series 4000 diesel generators. This illustrates in a nutshell why Rolls Royce is so well placed to win export contracts and how this impacts on the UK in terms of new wealth generated.
GE Vernova has announced not so long ago that it did commission into service the first of four variable speed units sized at 250 MW at THDC India Ltd’s Tehri Pumped Storage Hydropower Plant. This complex will attain 2.4 GW of generating capacity and emerge as India’s biggest hydropower complex. Pumped Storage units can stabilize a grid by pumping water to an upper reservoir during a period of surplus energy. This can be released in times of shortage generating more electricity as the water moves through the turbine. Another argument in favour of hydro-electric capacity is that it produces no C02 emissions and is naturally self-replenishing. GE Vernova has also supplied equipment to another hydro-electric plant at Koteshwar.
The Norwegian company Kongsberg has also signed a contract with Damen Maritime to manufacture shaftlines and controllable pitch propellers for new frigates for the Columbian Navy. All vessels are based on a Damen SIGMA design that uses modular components. This allows any vessel to be customised for operational needs. Variants of this design have already entered service with Indonesia and Mexico. Damen also selected Alewijnse as the primary supplier for all electrical systems aboard these frigates.
Babcock is another British firm that excels in complicated engineering solutions for all applications. Its LGE business has won a contract to supply an innovative marine Ammonia Fuel Supply System. This will be used on board four medium gas carriers now under construction at Hyundai Mipo shipyard. Ammonia is now emerging as another alternative fuel for merchant shipping to cut emissions of carbon dioxide. The new technology is also designed to meet the most stringent environmental standards.
(see www.navaltoday.com)
Mark Sandford - Permission granted to freely distribute this article for non-commercial purposes if attributed to Mark Sandford, unedited and copied in full, including this notice.
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