Americas News
New Navy Ships to Use Hybrid-Electric Propulsion
U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus says the military branch is moving forward with next-generation amphibious assault ships featuring hybrid-electric propulsion systems designed to save fuel, reports DOD Buzz, an online publication covering the U.S. military.
The USS America and USS Tripoli, part of an in-development group of amphibious assault ships, will be capable of operating on diesel-electric propulsion as well as gas-turbine engines.
"Now is the time to do it," Mabus said in response to a question about powering ships and planes with alternative fuels at the 2013 Energy Efficiency Global Forum in Washington, D.C. on May 21.
The new vessels will be able to travel at up to around 12 knots using the electric motors and will rely on their gas-turbine engines at faster speeds, while the ships' generators will also be able to power sensors, weapons, and other electronic systems.
"This unique auxiliary propulsion system (APS) is designed with fuel efficiency in mind," a Navy official said.
"Instead of using its gas turbines which are less efficient at lower speeds, the ship will be able to use its APS for roughly 75 percent of the time the ship is underway."
Mabus said the new ships follow on the success of the USS Makin Island, an amphibious assault ship that he has said saved the Navy $15 million in fuel costs over a seven-month deployment.
Daniel Goure, vice president of the Lexington Institute think tank, said hybrid-electrical propulsion systems are becoming more practical for ships.
"This technology is really coming along with things like the Prius and ground vehicles," he said.
"We've had decades of work of hybrids and now we're seeing the potential to exploit it to where it is really applicable at the ship level."
The Navy announced preliminary plans for the hybrid system on the Tripoli in November.
