GAS TURBINES IN THE U.S. NAVY: ANALYSIS OF AN INNOVATION AND ITS FUTURE PROSPECTS AS VIEWED BY A SHIP DESIGNER

Abstract

ABSTRACTWe in the U.S. Navy have not come to make a bold decision such as the Royal Navy made in 1967—to go 100% gas turbine propulsion for all future surface warships.This paper will first examine what ships are expected to be designated in the next decade, and which categories of ships are candidates for gas turbine propulsion, and why. This projection will be based upon the governing ship design parameters and the rationale derived from the synthesis of the “trade‐offs” of recent designs, some for which the outcome was gas turbines (DD‐963, PF, SCS, DG/AEGIS) and some for which the outcome was not gas turbines (LHA & AO).