CONVERTEAM TO SUPPLY PROPULSION SYSTEMS FOR U.S. NAVY’S MOBILE LANDING PLATFORM PROGRAM
PITTSBURGH, PA – August 3, 2011 – Power conversion specialist Converteam has been selected as the supplier of Integrated Power Systems (IPS) to the U.S. Navy with the award of an additional multi-million dollar contract to design and supply the complete electric power, propulsion and vessel automation system for the Mobile Landing Platform (MLP) program. The MLP program adds to Converteam’s market leadership experience with the U.S. Navy’s IPS fleet, which includes DDG 1000, T-AKE, LHD 8 and LHA 6.
The MLP vessels are a new class and type of auxiliary support ship. They’re intended to serve as a transfer station or floating pier at sea, improving the U.S. military’s ability to deliver equipment and cargo from ship-to-shore when friendly bases are denied, or simply don’t exist. That’s very useful in disaster situations, and equally useful for supporting U.S. Marines once they’re ashore.
Under contract, General Dynamics NASSCO has commissioned Converteam to provide a highly capable and flexible IPS including the tandem propulsion motor powered by variable frequency drives, as well as the harmonic filters, generators, high voltage switchboards, transformers, automation, azimuthing thruster with dynamic positioning capability, and associated thruster drive and motor. Thanks to its comprehensive offering from design to commissioning and training, Converteam will be the shipbuilder and owner’s single point of contact for through-life service and support of the vessels anywhere in the world.
"We are very pleased to be selected for the MLP program," said Michael Archibald, president of Converteam Inc. "This most recent contract validates our long-standing partnership with General Dynamics NASSCO, and their continued confidence in Converteam‘s expertise in systems integration and our commitment to deliver high-quality technologies."
The performance of the contract and engineering design will be performed in Pittsburgh, PA. The vessels will be built and commissioned at the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego, CA.
There are three scheduled class vessels expected to be delivered between May 2013 and December 2014.