Naomi Cooper
Fairbanks Morse Defense has unveiled a new high-speed engine designed to power the U.S. Navy’s unmanned programs.
FMD said Monday the nForcer FM 175D engine has 12, 16 or 20 cylinders with a bore measuring 175 mm and will be available for integration into naval fleets within the next two years.
The new engine runs at a speed of 1,800 to 2,000 rpm and has a rated power output of 1,740 to 4,400 kW.
George Whittier, CEO of FMD, noted that nForcer FM 175D is meant to address naval vessels’ future requirements for increased power to support advanced weapons and detection systems.
“Fairbanks Morse Defense has provided the Navy with some of the most trusted power and propulsion systems on the planet for nearly 100 years, making us uniquely qualified to support the Navy’s future efforts to protect the freedom of the seas with this high-speed engine,” Whittier said.
FMD secured an $89.9 million contract from the Navy in December 2022 to provide engineering and technical support for the main propulsion diesel engines of the Freedom-variant littoral combat ships.
