In line with the agreement signed between TAIS OG-STM Joint Venture, GE Marine will supply new and lightweight composite-encapsulated LM6 marine gas turbines to the Stack Class 7, 8 and 2500 frigates in the Turkish MİLGEM Project.
The Turkish Navy will also benefit from many features obtained in the transition from steel capsule to composite capsule under this project. Today, 31 LM2500 offshore gas turbines power 18 Turkish ships, including the Barbaros, Gabya, and Istif class frigates and ADA class corvettes. Within the scope of this project, frigate class battleships will be built for the first time in private shipyards in Turkey. GE, on the other hand, will support the accelerated construction process that will take 36 months at the Anadolu, Sedef and Sefine shipyards. The new I-Class Frigate will be 10 meters longer than previous models, in line with the evolving capabilities of its weapon systems. Each LM2500 will provide 22 MW of power to the new MİLGEM frigate.
This election also supports the cooperation goal of GE Marine and TEI (TUSAŞ Motor Sanayii A.Ş.) in Turkey, which was announced in April 2023. Within the scope of the aforementioned cooperation, TEI became the authorized domestic service provider for the maintenance, repair and revisions of GE's LM2500 marine gas turbines. Mark Musheno, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at GE Marine, emphasized GE Marine's strong collaborations in Turkey and said, "With this engine selection to be used in the MİLGEM Stacker Class frigates, we want to demonstrate our determination to support Turkey's naval programs, including in-country maintenance and maintenance capabilities."
GE's new state-of-the-art composite gas turbine capsule replaces older steel-made capsules. A safer engine room gives sailors easy access while adding considerable lightness to the ship design. Other benefits of the composite gas turbine capsule include:
“Less noise in the engine room: 60 percent (4dBA) less noise compared to a steel capsule
Lower engine room temperature: Capsule wall temperatures are -4,44o C to 10o C (25oF to 50oF) lower, thus dissipating approximately 50 percent less heat into the engine room.
Longer operation and lifespan: Composite walls are produced from a single corrosion-resistant piece.
Significantly lighter: Solid composite walls and ceiling are 2 kilograms (500 lbs) lighter; This difference, which means 5 percent lightness, gives ship designers flexibility for additional payload, fuel or other systems.
Easier access to the engine: It is easier for the crew to access the capsule and use the lighter main door.
Onboard the engine becomes easier to disassemble and reassemble: the gas turbines can be dismantled and reinstalled onboard using the air intake duct.”