GE LM2500 Marine Gas Turbines Power Japan’s New JS Asahi Destroyer.

Two reliable GE LM2500 marine gas turbines now power the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Forces (JMSDF) newest destroyer JS Asahi (DD119). This first of two new destroyers in the JMSDF’s Asahi-class destroyer program was recently commissioned by the JMSDF. The ship was built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) at its Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works in Japan.

Two reliable GE LM2500 marine gas turbines now power the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Forces newest destroyer JS Asahi (DD119). Picture by Japanese shipspotter @T_fighter.

“We work in concert with IHI, our longstanding partner in Japan, to supply LM2500 marine gas turbines to the JMSDF for this new destroyer and other surface combatant programs,” said GE’s Brien Bolsinger, Vice President, Marine Operations. “All of our marine gas turbines provide flexibility to naval architects and designers so mission profiles and speed requirements can easily be met. In this case, the LM2500s are configured in a combined diesel or gas turbine electric arrangement with two electric motors,” Bolsinger added.

The second destroyer in this class, JS Shiranui (DD120), was launched by MHI in October 2017; sea trials for this ship are slated for late 2018.

IHI handles in-country design, manufacture and testing of the LM2500 propulsion modules and LM500 gensets for all of the JMSDF and GE military marine programs and delivers them to shipyards. In fact, including the aforementioned new destroyer program, the JMSDF uses LM2500 gas turbines for its Izumo-, Kongou-, Murasame-, Atago-, and Hyuga-class ships.

IHI has packaged, tested and delivered more than 235 GE LM marine and industrial gas turbines, and offers complete overhaul capability for both GE’s LM2500 and LM6000 family of engines. With such a solid installed base, extensive in-country engine support capabilities, proven operating costs and reliability, GE’s LM2500 family of gas turbines is a low risk solution for global navies.

GE LM2500 gas turbine. GE Picture.

Based on the anti-air warfare Akizuki-class destroyer (19DD), the Asahi is 151 meters long and 18.3 meters wide, for a total displacement of 5100 tons. The class has a draft of 5.4 meters. The NBC Nagasaki report further explains that the Asahi is the first JMSDF destroyer to feature a “hybrid” COGLAG (combined gas and electric turbine) drive system, along with advanced anti-torpedo defenses and is further the first JMSDF destroyer equipped with a periscope-detecting radar system. Navy Recognition has previously covered the initial launch of the Asahi and reported on the variety of weapons systems and sensors the class is equipped with.

25DD Specifications:
Standard displacement: 5, 100 tons
Full load displacement: 6,800 tons
Total length: 151 m
Overall width: 18.3 m
Depth: 10.9 m
Draft: 5.4 m
Propulsion system: COGLAG / 2x LM 2500 IEC gas turbine engines / 2x motors (2.5 MW / 3,400 hp) / 2x  Shafts
Maximum speed: 30 kt
Accommodation: 230 sailors