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Electric Propulsion Systems (EPS)
Context:
The Ministries of Defence of India and the UK have signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) to collaborate on designing and developing EPS for the Indian Navy.
More on News:
- The SoI was signed in Portsmouth, UK, during the meeting of the 3rd Joint Working Group on Electric Propulsion Capability Partnership (JWG EPCP), emphasising the commitment to promoting indigenous technology development.
- The JWG EPCP serves as a platform for exchanging information on electric propulsion and fostering industrial cooperation between India and the UK.
What is Electric propulsion?
- EPS are a class of propulsion systems that use electrical power to accelerate a propellant, rather than relying on traditional chemical reactions.
- Propellants: EP uses various propellants, including rare gases (xenon, argon), liquid metals, or conventional propellants depending on the type of thruster.
- Components: Includes thruster components, propellant management systems, power components (like power processing units), and sometimes pointing mechanisms.
- Types of Thrusters: Including Hall Effect Thrusters (HET), Gridded Ion Engines (GIE), Pulsed Plasma Thrusters (PPT), and Magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) Thrusters, etc.
- Efficiency: EPS can be much more efficient than conventional chemical propulsion systems because they can achieve higher exhaust velocities. This means they require less propellant to achieve the same thrust.
- Applications: Commonly used in space missions for tasks like station-keeping, orbit transfers, and deep space exploration. They are particularly useful for long-duration missions where efficiency is crucial.
Key Highlights:
- Purpose: The cooperation aims to promote the indigenous development of niche technologies for the Indian Navy.
- Broader Framework for Cooperation: The SoI serves as a broader framework for cooperation in the co-design, co-creation, and co-production of electric propulsion capability for future Indian naval ships.
- This includes the Landing Platform Docks (LPDs), which are planned to be built at an Indian shipyard and will feature a full electric propulsion system.
- Integrated Electric Propulsion System: The Indian Navy’s second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-2) is expected to be powered by an integrated electric propulsion system based on Rolls-Royce MT-30 gas turbines.
- These turbines are also used in the Royal Navy’s HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales.
- Link to Aircraft Carrier Acquisition: The collaboration also ties into India’s ongoing acquisition of 26 multi-role carrier-borne fighters (MRCBF) for its future aircraft carriers.
- Boeing’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is competing for the $5-7 billion contract, alongside Dassault’s Rafale Marine fighter, which is considered the front-runner, as the MoD has announced its selection.
Rolls-Royce MT-30 Turbine
- One of the world’s most power-dense propulsion systems.
- It entered service in 2008, powering the USS Freedom, a US Navy littoral combat ship.
- The MT-30 system includes twin MT-30 engines and two diesel engines, which enable the USS Freedom to reach speeds above 40 knots.
- Global Use of MT-30: The MT-30 alternator packages also power several international naval vessels.
- Including the US Navy’s Zumwalt-class destroyers, the Italian Navy’s future flagship, the Korean Navy’s Daegu-class frigates, the UK’s Royal Navy Type 26 frigates, and the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force’s 30 FFM frigates.
Significance:
- Potential Impact on Future Indian Warships: The collaboration may lead to the selection of Rolls-Royce marine gas turbines for powering India’s next generation of destroyers, frigates, corvettes, and landing platform docks (LPDs), replacing current engines from the US, Russia, and Ukraine.
- Strategic Implications: The decision to use British hybrid-electric propulsion affects the likelihood of adopting a US-style catapult-based aircraft launch system for India’s future aircraft carriers.
Implications:
- The collaboration strengthens India’s self-reliance on naval technology, aligning with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).
- By focusing on cleaner, more efficient propulsion systems, the initiative aims to reduce the environmental footprint of naval operations while enhancing the operational capabilities of the Indian Navy.
