20 May 2021

WE Tech to provide WE Drive for Finnish Navy Squadron 2020 corvettes

by Richard Scott

Finnish company W Tech has received a contract to supply its WE Drives to control the RENK advanced electric drives to be used on the four new Pohjanmaa-class corvettes being procured by Finland under the Squadron 2020 corvette programme.

Squadron 2020 covers the procurement of four new Pohjanmaa-class corvettes. (RMC)

Announcing the contract on 17 May, W Tech said its W Drives will ensure the smooth operation of the corvettes' combined diesel-electric and gas (CODESLAG) propulsion in different operating modes.

This is our first military navy project and marks an important milestone for W Tech Solutions, said company CEO Mårten Storbacka.

RENK's parent company MAN Energy Solutions is responsible for the overall integration of the electric propulsion and gearbox system of the Squadron 2020 vessels. For the CODELAG propulsion, it is supplying four MAN 12V 175D diesel engines that can produce a total of 30 MW or 40,000 hp for speeds of up to 26 kt. For speeds above that figure, a single General Electric LM2500 gas turbine will drive both shaft lines to the twin CPPs. The range of the vessels will be about 3,500 n miles or 6,500 km.

The WE Drives will be delivered to RENK's Augsburg facility for integration.

Once in service the Pohjanmaa-class corvettes will be the Finnish Navy's largest combat vessels since the 1930s. The ships will displace 3,900 tonnes, with an overall length of 114 m, a 16 m beam, and a maximum draught of 5 m. They will carry a crew complement of 70 officers, ratings and cadets. Their year-round deployment in the Baltic region requires strengthening equivalent to Ice Class 1A.

Finnish company W Tech has received a contract to supply its WE Drives to control the RENK advanced ...

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