"Beating heart" of "world’s most advanced" Royal Navy frigate brought to life as HMS Glasgow engines fired up
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The “beating heart” of a new advanced Royal Navy frigate has been fired up.
Engines equipped to the Type 26 warship HMS Glasgow have been turned on for the first time. The first of the four propulsion systems has been tested ahead of the vessel’s commissioning into the fleet in the late 2020s.
The Royal Navy said when all four generators are turned on, they will generate enough energy to power a town the size of Fareham. HMS Glasgow’s four MTU diesel generators will provide the bulk of the power. It was turned on by BAE Systems engineers during tests at the firm’s Scotstoun yard, with members of the ship’s company in attendance.
Built by MTU, each diesel generator can produce up to three MegaWatts (MW) of power. Together, the quartet should drive the 8,000-tonne warship through the water at regular cruising speeds in excess of 14 to 15 knots. A Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine, which generates 36MW, will be used to the propel the frigate to its top speed.
Warrant Officer 2 Alan Causer, HMS Glasgow’s propulsion manager, said: “These diesel generators will be the beating heart of the world’s most advanced anti-submarine warfare frigates for the next 30 years. The MTU class are often referred to as ‘Ironmen’ engines, renowned for their durability and long service life.”
HMS Glasgow’s generators also powers its lighting, electricity, computing, air conditioning, fuel pumps, high-pressure air and amenities. They use a common-rail fuel injection system, which allows for the timing, volume, and pressure of the fuel to be tightly controlled. This results in better fuel economy and reduced emissions.
A single MTU generator could meet the power needs of around 1,500 average homes, or 140 electric vehicles travelling at 70mph on the motorway.
HMS Glasgow and her seven sister ships will primarily be deployed in the North Atlantic alongside autonomous systems, forming a hybrid navy. Due to replace many of their Type 23 counterparts, they will be based at HMNB Devonport in Plymouth. Inspiration-class Type 31 ships will be based in Portsmouth.