The need for a gas turbine training facility became apparent with the introduction into the U.S. Navy fleet of the first ships of the FFG7 Frigate and DD963 Destroyer Classes with gas turbine propulsion plants. This facility, constructed at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, provides "hands-on" training for maintenance and operation of marine gas turbines and associated propulsion plant components and controls and their piping and electrical systems. The Navy intends to train at this facility approximately 1000 personnel per year in the use of their latest and newest propulsion plants. The design of the facility reproduces as closely as possible the existing machinery and control spaces of the two different classes of ships and integrates them into a single main building with the school and the mechanical equipment wings. This paper presents an overview of the need for well-trained, qualified naval personnel to man the expanding fleet of marine gas turbine propulsion systems, existing training facilities and the various stages in the development of the FFG7/DD963 Gas Turbine Maintenance and Operational Training Facility. In regard to the facility, the paper discusses the planning and managing of the project; development of the designs for the building and propulsion plants; construction of the building facilities and FFG7 plant; the fabrication, transportation and erection of the FFG7 within the building; and the testing and operation of the FFG7 plant since light-off. Major emphasis is given to the FFG7 plant since the DD963 plant is being reconsidered in conjunction with the CG47 upgrading and is awaiting a decision to proceed.
Training key to electrical systems maintenance