The Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) has selected Rolls-Royce MT30 marine gas turbine for its Ulsan-class FFX Batch III frigate.
Earlier this year, Hyundai Heavy Industries won a contract from South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) to build the first of six 3,500t FFX III frigates for the RoKN.
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This is not the first time that Rolls-Royce MT30 marine gas turbine has been selected for South Korean frigates.
Rolls-Royce had worked with the South Korean Navy to unveil a hybrid propulsion system for all eight ships in the Daegu-class FFX Batch II frigate programme.
According to Rolls-Royce, the South Korean Navy will reap commonality benefits, such as spare parts, support infrastructure as well as training, from the use of MT30 for its FFX Batch II and Batch III frigates.
Rolls-Royce Defence Business Development and Future Programmes vice-president Jongyel Lee said: “We are delighted that MT30 has once again been selected to power the latest batch of FFX frigates and we look forward to continuing our relationship with the Republic of Korea Navy and HHI.”
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By GlobalDataRolls-Royce noted that the MT30 first entered service with RoKN’s Daegu-class in 2018.
Lee added: “We are committed to working closely with the Republic of Korea Navy to provide them with the most adaptable propulsion systems based on the most modern technology available today.
“This will ensure our customers can retain their military advantage via future technology insertion without having to endure costly upgrades to legacy power generation capability throughout the life of their ships.”
For the FFX Batch III frigate programme, Rolls-Royce said it will also supply the ‘Engine Health Management’ capability.
The MT30 gas turbine is already in service with the US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship and Zumwalt-class destroyers, the Italian Navy’s new Landing Helicopter Dock and the Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.
In October, Rolls-Royce and the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a MoU on delivering improved ongoing equipment support for the Rolls-Royce MT30 and WR-21 engines deployed across key Royal Navy programmes.
In September last year, Rolls-Royce produced an MT30 gas turbine for the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force’s (JMSDF) 30FFM frigate.
