FY '08 and FY '09 options included

Vericor Power Systems, LLC, Alpharetta, GA, has been awarded a $20.5m contract for the manufacture, testing and delivery of 16 ETF40B marine gas turbine engines for the fiscal year 2008 Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) Service Life Extension Program (SLEP). This contract includes options which, if exercised, would extend the contract an additional year and bring the cumulative value of this contract to over $57M. The units will be assembled and tested at Vericor's subcontractor Standard Aero Energy in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

The LCAC is an amphibious vehicle that traverses snow, marsh, ice, tundra, sand and water. The first LCACs were manufactured in 1984 with a service life design of 20 years. The craft are an integral part of the Navy's amphibious capabilities, including service in Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom and recent humanitarian relief in southeast Asia and the US gulf coast.

The SLEP program will extend the useful life of the LCAC fleet from 20 to 30 years while reducing operating costs and improving performance. Besides main engine upgrades, the SLEP program includes installation of a new skirt system, hull and fuel system modifications and communication/navigation systems upgrades.

Each LCAC was originally outfitted with 4 TF40B turbines, providing both propulsion and lift through an integrated drive train. The ETF40B engine generates over 15% more power, along with better fuel efficiency and reduced maintenance.

About Vericor
Vericor is an MTU Aero Engines Company based in Alpharetta, Georgia USA. Vericor is the OEM for the TF and ASE series aeroderivative gas turbines, and supplies systems and related services for marine, oil and gas and power generation customers.