USN now smallest since before WW1.

[axi]

***bump!***

I'm certain they are more efficient than steam plants.

No, they aren't. heir efficiency is only 30-35% IIRC, while the efficiency of large 2-stroke diesel engines that are used in large ships is 45-47%. They are more efficient only in a combined cycle, when their exhaust is fed into a boiler, to help produce high enthalpy steam for stem turbines. Then the efficiency of the combined cycle can reach 55%. But then, you have to have many large gas turbines to produce enough exhaust heat plus a large enough boiler and superheater that uses alot more extra fuel, in order to have hypercritical steam in the second cycle. This means a plant magnitude which is inappropriate for ships.

Anyway, navy ships do not care much about fuel cost, they're mostly interested in kW/kg, peak power and engine flexibility and that's what gas turbines are good for.

[Dis]

I may be misreading your post.

But navy gas turbine ships do not have steam turbines. There are turbine blades, but they are turned by the heated gas- not by steam.

After exiting the turbine part of the gas turbine the exhaust then goes through a reboiler that heats water to produce low pressure steam used in the galley, and for hot water heaters, and other minor uses througout the ship.

[axi]

That's what I'm saying too. Gas turbines can only be efficient in combination with steam turbines, but this combination would be too cumbersome for any ship.

[Dis]

U.S. Navy returns to Vietnam!!!!!!!!!!

We all knew it would happen sometime.

Navy docks in Vietnam for port of call.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/southeast/11/19/vietnam.us/index.html