Engine power upgrade for British Navy frigates

LONDON, Aug. 10 (UPI) -- Britain's Ministry of Defense has tapped a subsidiary of Rolls-Royce to upgrade the power systems of the Royal Navy's Type 23 frigates.

Under a contract worth more than $105 million, Germany-based MTU will deliver four new MTU 12V 4000 M53B diesel generator sets for each of 12 Duke-class vessels as part of the Royal Navy's vessel life extension program. Each genset provides 1,650 kW of power.

The new generator sets are to be delivered from next year, with Babcock Marine perfoming their installation.

Voltage converters for the program will be supplied by Hitzinger UK under a contract worth more than $18.5 million.

"These upgrades will ensure that the Type 23 frigates, the backbone of the Royal Navy's fleet, can continue to protect UK interests around the world," said Defense Secretary Michael Fallon. "The work is part of our £163 billion ($252.5 million) equipment plan, paid for by a defense budget that will rise each year from now until the end of the decade."