GE Aerospace on Thursday said its LM2500 engine will power the Indian Navy’s weapon-intense Next Generation Missile Vessels (NGMV) built by defence PSU Cochin Shipyard Limited Ltd (CSL).
The move comes more than a year after the CSL signed a contract for building six NGMV for Indian Navy at a cost of ₹9,805 crore. The ships’ delivery is scheduled to commence from March 2027 as the Indian Navy seeks to secure country’s maritime interests in the highly contested Indo Pacific region, especially from the aggressive Chinese vessels.
Additionally, the GE Aerospace will be supplying its composite base and enclosure, and full complement of gas turbine auxiliary systems.
Six engine kits
“Six LM2500 marine gas turbine engine kits will be delivered by GE Aerospace for assembly and test by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Industrial and Marine Gas Turbine Division in Bangalore, India,” the GE said in a statement.
The LM2500 isn’t just powering the Indian Navy; it’s the engine of choice for navies worldwide that demand the best, stated the GE. Over 714 vessels globally rely on GE Aerospace’s marine gas turbines for their reliability and availability, it added.
The NGMVs, which can reach a max speed of 35 knots, would be heavily armed war vessels incorporating stealth, high speed and offensive capability. Keeping in Navy’s future warfare demands, the CSL will equip the vessels with loitering munitions, unmanned vehicles and other guided weapons to add to its firepower.