Recognized for their track record of exceptional performance and commitment to affordability, Rolls-Royce was named as the 2017 Team Freedom Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Supplier of the Year at the 30th annual Surface Navy Association National Symposium on Jan. 9.
A long-term Freedom-variant supplier, Rolls-Royce supplies MT30 gas turbines and Mk1 waterjets for the Freedom-variant LCS. Both systems are critical components of the Freedom-variant's combined diesel and gas (CODAG) propulsion system. At 36 megawatts, the MT30 is the world's most powerful in service marine gas turbine – enabling the Freedom-variant to achieve speeds of 40+ knots.
"Rolls-Royce has been an excellent partner, repeatedly demonstrating its value to the program and our U.S. Navy customer," said Joe DePietro, Lockheed Martin vice president of small combatants and ship systems. "As an original member of Team Freedom, Rolls-Royce has played an important role in our program's success, and we look forward to continuing our successful partnership with Rolls-Royce in the years to come."
Rolls-Royce played a critical role in the USS Little Rock's acceptance trials – the best of the class to date. During the trials, Rolls-Royce demonstrated reliability and performance improvements on the ship's propulsion and steering systems. These modifications helped enable USS Little Rock to achieve the highest propulsion system scores to date and conduct a clean sweep of the ship's sea trials major demonstrations.
"It is our privilege to work on the Lockheed Martin Littoral Combat Ship program and we are deeply honored by this recognition," said Don Roussinos, Rolls-Royce, President-Naval. "The combination of the MT30 gas turbine and our latest waterjet technology will ensure these ships are at the cutting edge of global naval capability for many years to come. It's especially fitting to receive this prestigious award in 2018, ten years after the first MT30 powered ship, USS Freedom, was commissioned."
The Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine team is currently in full-rate production of the Freedom-variant of the LCS, and has delivered five ships to the U.S. Navy to date. There are eight ships in various stages of construction at Fincantieri Marinette Marine, with one more in long-lead production.
The Freedom-variant LCS team is comprised of Lockheed Martin, shipbuilder Fincantieri Marinette Marine, naval architect Gibbs & Cox, and more than 800 suppliers in 42 states.