Folk Gear Drives Shipped For Installation On Bob Hope Class RoRos

The Falk Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., an ISO 9001-rated company, has manufactured two marine main propulsion gear drives for the Navy's Strategic Sealift Bob Hope Class of Military Sealift Command ships. On February 6, one of the two gear drives was readied for shipment to Avondale shipyards in New Orleans for installation on the 950-ft. (289.6- m) RoRo USNS Bob Hope, which has been configured to transport a variety of military vehicles and unit equipment.

When completed, the ship will have two gear drives which will drive four 22-ft. (6.7-m) diameter propellers. Each of the speed reduction gear drives will be connected to two of the ship's four Colt Pielstick 10 PC 4.2 400 rpm diesel engines, which will deliver a combined 65,160 hp to the gear drives.

The drives will produce 1.6 million ft.-lbs. of output torque, and will drive each propeller shaft at 105 rpm at a top speed of 24.5 knots per hour. Included in the Navy contract is an option for five more gear drive systems, with the total contract value equaling $15 million.

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