Newport News Shipbuilding has granted Dresser-Rand Company a $9 million contract for the initial phases of production of the main propulsion turbines for the U.S. Navy's
Nimitz Class CVN-77 nuclear powered aircraft carrier exceeding a top speed of 30 knots.
Dresser-Rand, Wellsville, N.Y., will construct four high-pressure steam turbines and four low-pressure steam turbines with a combined output of more than 250,000-hp. Each pair of high and low pressure steam turbines are in a cross compound configuration driving a 30-ton plus propeller through double reduction gears.