AWD starts MELO on HMAS Hobart
The AWD Alliance has started Main Engine Light-Off (MELO) activities on Australia's lead Hobart-class air warfare destroyer, HMAS Hobart (DDGH 39), as the team prepares for sea trials.
The MELO saw one of the main engines of the destroyer start up - a 5650kW Bravo V16 propulsion diesel engine that will drive the ship's port-side propeller. Another Bravo engine drives the starboard propeller and will enter MELO in the next few weeks. The two propulsion diesel engines will propel the ship at low speeds, while two yet-to-be-commissioned gas turbines will power the vessel at higher speeds.
The main propulsion engines were made by Navantia in Spain. There are a further four diesel generator engines on-board for the ship’s electrical power that have been commissioned and are currently undergoing parallel testing.
Following the completion of MELO activities, the propulsion engines will be connected to the propellers and ‘dock trials’ will be conducted, in which the engines turn the propellers while the ship remains roped to the dock.
Mike Clements, platform test and activation manager, said: ‘MELO is a major milestone for any warship and the start of the MELO activities this week is a great achievement for everyone who has contributed to the ship to date.’
More from Naval Warfare
-
![South Korean shipbuilders showcase export ambitions amid ongoing KDDX delays]()
South Korean shipbuilders showcase export ambitions amid ongoing KDDX delays
Hyundai and Hanwha recently unveiled advanced frigate and submarine designs while South Korea eyes new export markets and resolves internal rivalries
-
![US Navy seeks industry partners to address pressing research needs]()
US Navy seeks industry partners to address pressing research needs
The Office of Naval Research will host an Industry Engagement Day in August aiming at building new partnerships and advancing its science and technology initiatives in multiple areas.
-
![Raytheon awarded $1.2 billion in contracts for AN/SPY-6(V) radars for the US Navy]()
Raytheon awarded $1.2 billion in contracts for AN/SPY-6(V) radars for the US Navy
Under the most recent contract, the US Navy will receive four additional AN/SPY-6(V) radars, increasing the number of radars under contract to 42. The radars are considered key for expanding the navy’s capability for air defence.
-
![Kuwait agrees $2.45 billion deal for Falaj 3 missile boats]()
Kuwait agrees $2.45 billion deal for Falaj 3 missile boats
The deal for Falaj 3 missile boats is one of the largest ship deals for the Middle East and the region’s highest-value naval shipbuilding export to date. It follows the commissioning earlier this year of the first of type for UAE.
