Wednesday, September 22, 2010

General Atomics continues work to develop hybrid electric drive for Navy Burke-class destroyers

General Atomics won a $6.6 million contract modification Friday for engineering services related to the company's developing a hybrid electric drive system for U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. General Atomics has been working on hybrid electric drive technology for Burke-class destroyers since 2009, which is expected to offer substantial fuel savings on the surface warships by incorporating advanced electric machine technology.

General Atomics is developing a proof-of-concept hybrid electric drive shipboard electronics system for a full-scale demonstration aimed at improving the operating efficiency of the engineering plant on Burke-class destroyers. Awarding the contract Friday were officials of the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington.

Navy officials say hybrid electric drive support for the Burke-class destroyer's mechanical drive propulsion could reduce fuel use by 16 percent, saving millions of dollars in each ship's fuel use each year.

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