![]() ![]() The WR-21 GTs were designed in an international partnership with Rolls Royce and Northrop Grumman Marine Systems. In basic terms, two WR-21 gas turbines (GTs) and two Wartsila 2MW diesel generators provide AC power for the motors that propel the ship as well as the power for the ships systems – weapons, sensors lighting etc. There are many advantages associated with IEP, fuel efficiency, flexibility in locating the engines and a supposedly reduced maintenance and manning requirement. The Type 45 uses a pioneering system called Integrated Electric Propulsion (IEP). Although these breakdowns have hampered their operation, all the Type 45s have completed major deployments and HMS Defender is currently on a 9-month Gulf and Indian Ocean deployment. The media coverage has since been predictably excessive, giving the unfortunate impression that Type 45s are £1Billion cripples. The MoD has consistently played down the seriousness of the issue, that had on occasions resulted in total propulsion and electrical failure, leaving ships dead in the water.Įven Parliamentary questions were met with vague assurances that “progress was being made”. Amongst informed defence commentators it has been an open secret for several years, but on 29th January a BBC report finally put the engine problems of the Type 45 destroyers into the public eye. ![]()
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