First LM2500-Powered Ship for Indian Navy

GE Marine reports that the Indian Navy commissioned the INS Shivalik stealth frigate on April 29, 2010, at the Indian Navy’s shipyard in Mumbai. This first-in-class frigate, built by Mazagon Dock Ltd. (MDL), is powered by two GE LM2500 aeroderivative marine gas turbines with two diesels in a combined diesel or gas turbine (CODOG) configuration. This project marks the first LM2500-powered ship to enter service with the Indian Navy.

The 4,600-ton INS Shivalik measures 469 ft in length with a beam of 55.7 ft. The stealth frigate can reach its maximum speed of 30 knots when operating the gas turbines, and 18 knots cruising on the diesel engines. The Indian Navy expects to commission two sister stealth frigates -- INS Satpura and INS Sahyadiri -– each powered by two LM2500 gas turbines in a CODOG system.

GE also provided four LM2500 gas turbine kits to Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL), Bangalore, which HAL assembled and tested for the Indian Navy’s indigenous aircraft carrier; the keel laying took place on February 28, 2009. This brings the total to 10 LM2500 propulsion modules HAL provided to the Indian Navy.

The LM2500 gas turbine kits were manufactured at GE’s Evendale, Ohio, facility, and assembled and tested by HAL’s Industrial & Marine Gas Turbine Division. HAL is one of the world’s leading aerospace industries involved in the manufacture and maintenance of aircraft, helicopters, avionics and aerospace defense equipment. HAL’s Industrial and Marine Gas Turbine Division is a licensed packager in India of GE’s LM2500 marine gas turbines.  MDL, India’s prime shipyard, manufactures warships and submarines for the Indian Navy, as well as offshore platforms and associated support vessels for offshore oil drilling.