Defence Online

The Timken Company’s Philadelphia Gear has received a contract to provide main reduction gears (MRGs) for the second frigate in the US Navy’s Constellation (FFG-62) class of ships.The contract option has been awarded by Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM), which selected the company for MRGs in 2020.Under the latest contract option, Philadelphia Gear will supply MRGs for the future USS Congress (FFG-63).The company will design the key components of frigate’s propulsion system at its technical centre in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.These components will be manufactured and assembled at Philadelphia Gear’s marine centre of excellence in Santa Fe Springs, California.Timken group vice president Carl Rapp said: “Philadelphia Gear has served as a trusted partner on navy projects for almost a century.“We’re drawing on our deep industry knowledge to develop a completely new MRG configuration for the FFG-62 class.”The MRGs are large components used for transferring energy from the vessel’s main power source to its propeller shafts, allowing the ship to move at different speeds under changing conditions.Philadelphia Gear also designs and builds MRGs for a range of US Navy ships, including the Oliver Hazard Perry class (FFG-7) ships.Notably, FMM is currently under contract with options to construct up to ten Constellation-class guided-missile frigates for the US Navy.According to Timken, if the US Navy exercises options for all the ten frigates, the company could realise a revenue of over $150m throughout the contract period.Recently, the US Navy exercised the contract option for the construction of third FFG-62 frigate, USS Chesapeake (FFG 64).The 496ft-long Constellation-class ships will have a full-load displacement of 7,291lt. The first frigate of this class, USS Constellation (FFG-62), is expected to enter service in 2026.