General Atomics continues work to develop hybrid electric drive for Navy Burke-class destroyers

WASHINGTON, 15 Aug. 2010. General Atomics won a $6.6 million contract modification Friday for engineering services related to the company's developing a hybrid electric drive system for U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. General Atomics has been working on hybrid electric drive technology for Burke-class destroyers since 2009, which is expected to offer substantial fuel savings on the surface warships by incorporating advanced electric machine technology.

General Atomics is developing a proof-of-concept hybrid electric drive shipboard electronics system for a full-scale demonstration aimed at improving the operating efficiency of the engineering plant on Burke-class destroyers. Awarding the contract Friday were officials of the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington.

Navy officials say hybrid electric drive support for the Burke-class destroyer's mechanical drive propulsion could reduce fuel use by 16 percent, saving millions of dollars in each ship's fuel use each year.

For more information contact Naval Sea Systems Command online at www.navsea.navy.mil, or General Atomics at www.ga.com.