Mighty warship HMS Queen Elizabeth runs on Rolls Royce systems; company offers expertise to Indian Navy

HMS Queen Elizabeth (front) with an Indian Shivalik Multi-role Frigate (second from front) in the Bay of Bengal. (Image: Royal Navy)

The UK based Rolls-Royce has expressed keenness to explore opportunities for sharing end-to-end solutions for electrification of Indian Navy’s future warships. In a virtual media interaction, ahead of the India-UK drill in Bay of Bengal with the UK’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG) led by 65,000 tonne HMS Queen Elizabeth, Kishore Jayaraman, President – India and South Asia, Rolls-Royce said, “As India plans the fleet of the future, our commitment to support the country’s self-reliance goals and defence modernisation remains as strong as ever.”

Electrification for future warships

“With our experience of supporting the electrification of the Royal Navy’s warships over years, is of special significance. This also includes the design and deployment of the world’s first hybrid-electric naval system. And, we believe that Rolls Royce can bring great value and learning to any future programme being planned by the Indian Navy for developing electric warships,” Kishore Jayaraman, President, Rolls Royce added.

During the drill, Rolls Royce is expected to showcase the results of innovation in naval power and propulsion, which has been achieved over decades. The UK based company will showcase to Indian Navy customers its capabilities to build, design, and deliver customized propulsion and power solutions for the navy’s modernization plans.

According to Abhishek Singh, Senior Vice President – Defence, India and South East Asia, Rolls-Royce said, “And, we are looking forward to familiarising our Indian customers with Rolls-Royce’s capabilities aboard this majestic warship. Also, we can explore areas for collaboration for further strengthening the range and might of the Indian Navy.”

Said Richard Partridge, Chief of Naval Systems, Rolls-Royce, “Our expertise and technologically superior offerings provide the ideal solutions for developing integrated hybrid-electric and full-electric propulsion for naval vessels.”

“This also includes the integration of the MT30 that brings the most power dense gas turbine to these next generation warships,” he added.

More about the CGS

It is led by the fifth generation HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier. This is the largest surface vessel which has ever been constructed in the UK and it is taller than the Niagara Falls. It is 65,000 tonnes and its propellers have the capacity to generate the power of 50 high-speed trains.

After almost a generation, HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier is leading six Royal Navy ships, Royal Navy submarine, and a frigate from the Netherlands as well as a US Navy destroyer.

What’s on-board the mighty Queen Elizabeth Class carriers

The Royal Navy’s new Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) aircraft carriers operate an IFEP system that’s one among advanced propulsion systems. This offers increased power, reliability and flexibility which is best suited for large warships.

There are two MT30 marine gas turbine alternators per ship, which are rated at 36MW, and have the power to propel these vessels beyond 25knots.

The MT30 itself delivers alone delivers big design benefits through its power density, this helps in reducing significantly the number of gas turbines required to power advanced naval platforms.

It also guarantees its power throughout the 50-year service life expectancy of the ship.

The QEC also feature full Rolls-Royce low voltage (LV) electrical distribution system that distributes enough electricity to power the equivalent of 5,000 family homes.

Rolls Royce will showcase capabilities for providing Naval propulsion solutions aboard the mighty HMS Queen Elizabeth warship.

The UK based company is the only provider of marine gas turbines into integrated full-electric propulsion (IFEP) powered destroyers and aircraft carriers.

And it is the only manufacturer in the world that has provided navalised marine gas turbine generators into front-line integrated full electric propulsion (IFEP) powered destroyers and aircraft carriers.

It has been responsible for everything including the procurement, design, integration, manufacture, delivery and test of the Queen Elizabeth Carrier ships’ power and propulsion system.