GE Aerospace received an order from Austal USA to provide the propulsion package for the US Navy’s Explorer-class vessels program.
GE Aerospace has received an order from Austal USA to provide the propulsion package for the lead ship in the US Navy’s new Explorer-class ocean surveillance vessel program.
The order covers one LM2500+G4 marine gas turbine housed in a composite enclosure, along with an associated generator, for the future USNS Don Walsh (T-AGOS 25), currently under construction in Mobile, Alabama.
Explorer-class vessels use an integrated electric propulsion architecture that combines diesel-electric and gas-turbine power.
The configuration includes four electric motors powered by three diesel generators and the LM2500 gas turbine, allowing the ship to balance long-endurance surveillance operations with higher-speed transit when required.
Under the program, the LM2500 will be installed in a lightweight composite enclosure instead of a traditional steel structure.
According to GE, the design cuts weight by around 2,500 kilograms (5,500 pounds), reduces engine room noise and heat output, and simplifies maintenance access.
Lower acoustic signature is particularly relevant for ocean surveillance missions, where minimizing onboard noise can improve the effectiveness of submarine detection operations.
Explorer Class
The Explorer class is being developed as the US Navy’s next-generation ocean surveillance ships, operated by Military Sealift Command to support anti-submarine warfare and the Integrated Undersea Surveillance System.
Equipped with the Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System, the vessels collect underwater acoustic data, process it onboard, and transmit it for analysis.
According to program specifications, the Explorer class will measure 359 feet (109 meters) in length, with a displacement of 9,099 tons, and a top speed of up to 22 knots (41 kilometers/25 miles per hour).
The ships are also designed for extended low-speed surveillance missions, including towing acoustic sensor systems at 5 knots (9.2 kilometers/5.7 miles per hour) for up to 9,000 nautical miles (16,668 kilometers/10,357 miles).
