The General Electric LM2500 is an industrial and marine

gas turbine A gas turbine or gas turbine engine is a type of Internal combustion engine#Continuous combustion, continuous flow internal combustion engine. The main parts common to all gas turbine engines form the power-producing part (known as the gas gene ...

produced by

GE Aviation General Electric Company, doing business as GE Aerospace, is an American aircraft engine supplier that is headquartered in Evendale, Ohio, outside Cincinnati. It is the legal successor to the original General Electric Company founded in 1892, wh ...

. The LM2500 is a derivative of the General Electric CF6 aircraft engine. As of 2004, the U.S. Navy and at least 29 other navies had used a total of more than one thousand LM2500/LM2500+ gas turbines to power

warship A warship or combatant ship is a naval ship that is used for naval warfare. Usually they belong to the navy branch of the armed forces of a nation, though they have also been operated by individuals, cooperatives and corporations. As well as b ...

s. Other uses include

hydrofoil A hydrofoil is a lifting surface, or foil, that operates in water. They are similar in appearance and purpose to aerofoils used by aeroplanes. Boats that use hydrofoil technology are also simply termed hydrofoils. As a hydrofoil craft gains sp ...

s, hovercraft and fast ferries. In 2012, GE developed an FPSO version to serve the oil and gas industry's demand for a lighter, more compact version to generate electricity and drive compressors to send natural gas through pipelines.

Design and development

The LM2500 was first used on the US Navy in 1969, after the original FT-4 gas turbines experienced many technical problems. Later, they were used in US Navy warships in the of destroyers and the related , which were constructed from 1970. In this configuration it was rated to . This configuration was subsequently used into the 1980s in the s, and s. It was also used by one of People's Republic of China's Type 052 Luhu Class Missile Destroyer (Harbin 112) acquired before the embargo. The LM2500 was uprated to for the s, which were initiated in the 1980s and started to see service in the early 1990s, and the T-AOE-6 class of fast combat tanker. In 2001 the LM2500 (20 MW) was installed in a sound-proof capsule in the South African Navy (Meko A-200 SAN) frigates as part of a CODAG propulsion system with two MTU 16V 1163 TB93 Propulsion Diesels. The current generation was uprated in the late 1990s to over . LM2500 installations place the engine inside a metal container for sound and heat isolation from the rest of the machinery spaces. This container is very near the size of a standard

intermodal shipping container An intermodal container, often called a shipping container, or a freight container, (or simply "container") is a large metal crate designed and built for intermodal freight transport, meaning these containers can be used across different mod ...

– but not the same, the engine size very slightly exceeds those dimensions. The air intake ducting may be designed and shaped appropriately for easy removal of the LM2500 from their ships. The LM2500+ is an evolution of the LM2500, delivering up to or 28.6 MW of electric energy when combined with an

electrical generator In electricity generation, a generator, also called an ''electric generator'', ''electrical generator'', and ''electromagnetic generator'' is an electromechanical device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy for use in an extern ...

. Two of such turbo-generators have been installed in the superstructure near the funnel of '' Queen Mary 2'', the world's largest transatlantic ocean liner, for additional electric energy for the liner to reach higher sea speeds..

Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Cruises is a cruise line headquartered in Miami, Florida, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group. Celebrity Cruises was founded in 1988 by the Greece-based Chandris Group, and merged with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line in ...

uses two LM2500+ engines in their s in a COGAS cycle (actually COGES, as the turbines generate electricity rather than driving the shafts directly). The LM2500 is license-built in India by

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is an Indian public sector aerospace and defence company, headquartered in Bengaluru. Established on 23 December 1940, HAL is one of the oldest and largest aerospace and defence manufacturers in the world. H ...

; in Italy by Avio Aero; and in Japan by

IHI Corporation , formerly known as is a Japanese engineering corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan that produces and offers ships, space launch vehicles, aircraft engines, marine diesel engines, gas turbines, gas engines, railway systems, turbocharge ...

. (Subsequent to the February 2024 reporting of an IHI company

whistleblower Whistleblowing (also whistle-blowing or whistle blowing) is the activity of a person, often an employee, revealing information about activity within a private or public organization that is deemed illegal, immoral, illicit, unsafe, unethical or ...

; On April 24, 2024, IHI announced that investigation was underway by Japan's

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism The , abbreviated MLIT, is a ministry of the Japanese government.国土交通省設置法

of its subsidiary, IHI Power Systems Co., which had falsified its engine data since 2003, impacting over 4,000 engines globally.) The LM2500/LM2500+ can often be found as turbine part of CODAG, CODOG, CODLAG propulsion systems or in pairs as powerplants for COGAG systems.

Applications

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Royal Thai Navy The Royal Thai Navy (Abbreviation, Abrv: RTN, ทร.; , ) is the Navy, naval warfare force of Thailand. Established in 1906, it was modernised by the Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse (1880–1923) who is known as the father of the Royal N ...

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Spanish Navy The Spanish Navy, officially the Armada, is the Navy, maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces and one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Spanish Navy was responsible for a number of major historic achievements in navigation ...

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Indian Navy The Indian Navy (IN) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Navy, maritime and Amphibious warfare, amphibious branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of the Naval Staff (India), Chief ...

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Amphibious assault ship An amphibious assault ship is a type of warship employed to land and support ground forces on enemy territory during an armed conflict. The design evolved from aircraft carriers converted for use as helicopter carriers (which, as a result, ar ...

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Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the navy, naval branch of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (Australia), Chief of Navy (CN) Vice admiral (Australia), Vice Admiral Mark Hammond (admiral), Ma ...

) * (Spanish Navy) * (United States Navy) ''

Cruiser A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several operational roles from search-and-destroy to ocean escort to sea ...

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Destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, maneuverable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy, or carrier battle group and defend them against a wide range of general threats. They were conceived i ...

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People's Liberation Army Navy The People's Liberation Army Navy, also known as the People's Navy, PLA Navy or simply Chinese Navy, is the naval warfare military branch, branch of the People's Liberation Army, the national military of the People's Republic of China. It i ...

) * Project 18 (Indian Navy) ''

Frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and maneuvera ...

:'' * (Royal Australian Navy) * (Spanish Navy) * (Royal Australian Navy,

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German Navy The German Navy (, ) is part of the unified (Federal Defense), the German Armed Forces. The German Navy was originally known as the ''Bundesmarine'' (Federal Navy) from 1956 to 1995, when ''Deutsche Marine'' (German Navy) became the official ...

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(

French Navy The French Navy (, , ), informally (, ), is the Navy, maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the four military service branches of History of France, France. It is among the largest and most powerful List of navies, naval forces i ...

, Italian Navy, Royal Moroccan Navy) * (

Royal Norwegian Navy The Royal Norwegian Navy () is the branch of the Norwegian Armed Forces responsible for navy, naval operations of Norway, including those of the Norwegian Coast Guard. , the Royal Norwegian Navy consists of approximately 3,700 personnel (9,450 i ...

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Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; , ''MRC'') is the Navy, naval force of Canada. The navy is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of February 2024, the RCN operates 12 s, 12 s, 4 s, 4 s, 8 s, and several auxiliary ...

) * (French Navy, Italian Navy) * ( Hellenic Navy) * ( Pakistan Navy) * (

) * (Indian Navy) * (United States Navy) * '' Thaon di Revel-class'' frigate (Italian Navy) * (German Navy) * (Spanish Navy) * (Indian Navy) * ( South African Navy) * (

Portuguese Navy The Portuguese Navy (), also known as the Portuguese War Navy (''Marinha de Guerra Portuguesa'') or as the Portuguese Armada (''Armada Portuguesa''), is the navy of the Portuguese Armed Forces. Chartered in 1317 by King Dinis of Portugal, it is ...

) * (Republic of Korea Navy) * (Turkish Navy) '' Fast Combat Support Ship:'' * (United States Navy) '' Maritime Prepositioning Force:'' * (United States Navy) '' Littoral combat ship:'' * (United States Navy) ''

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Finnish Navy The Finnish Navy ( , ) is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. The navy employs 2,300 people and about 4,300 conscripts are trained each year. Finnish Navy vessels are given the ship prefix "FNS", short for "Finnish Navy ship", but ...

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Royal Danish Navy The Royal Danish Navy (, ) is the Naval warfare, sea-based branch of the Danish Armed Forces force. The RDN is mainly responsible for maritime defence and maintaining the sovereignty of Denmark, Danish territorial waters (incl. Faroe Islands and ...

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) '' Maritime Security Cutter, Large:'' * (

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) '' Passenger Ship:'' * '' Queen Mary 2'' ocean liner (

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Princess Cruises Princess Cruises is an American cruise line owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. The company headquarters are in Santa Clarita, California and is incorporated in Bermuda. As of 2025, it is the List of cruise lines#List of cruise lines by size, s ...

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) * ( Royal Caribbean International)

Variants

The LM2500 is available in 3 different versions: * The LM2500 delivers with a

thermal efficiency In thermodynamics, the thermal efficiency (\eta_) is a dimensionless performance measure of a device that uses thermal energy, such as an internal combustion engine, steam turbine, steam engine, boiler, furnace, refrigerator, ACs etc. For ...

of 37 percent at ISO conditions. When coupled with an electric generator, it delivers 24 MW of electricity at 60 Hz with a thermal efficiency of 36 percent at ISO conditions. * The improved, 3rd generation, LM2500+ version of the turbine delivers with a thermal efficiency of 39 percent at ISO conditions. When coupled with an electric generator, it delivers 29 MW of electricity at 60 Hz with a thermal efficiency of 38 percent at ISO conditions. * The latest, 4th generation, LM2500+G4 version was introduced in November 2005 and delivers 47,370 shp (35,320 kW) with a thermal efficiency of 39.3 percent at ISO conditions.

Derivatives

* The GE TM2500 is derived from the LM2500, and mounted on a trailer that makes it possible to move it to wherever 30 MW of temporary electricity generation is required. It can be installed and commissioned in 11 days.

Specification

The basic LM2500 has a single shaft gas generator derived from the CF6, comprising a 16 stage compressor driven by a two stage air-cooled HP turbine. The combustion chamber is annular. Shaft power is generated by a 6-stage power turbine mounted in the gas generator exhaust stream. Additional power is obtained from the LM2500+ by the addition of a zero stage to the compressor, making 17 stages in all. Specifications for three models of LM2500 series gas turbine engines:

References

External links

Official GE Aviation page for LM2500 (GEAE)

Official GE Aviation page for LM2500+

Official GE Aviation page for LM2500+G4

Simple and combined cycle 50 Hz

Simple and combined cycle 60 Hz
{{Aero-derivative engines Aero-derivative engines Gas turbines Marine engines

Design and development

Applications

Variants

Derivatives

Specification

See also

References

External links