China’s next generation of warships will be propelled by a powerful 50MW gas turbine
The advanced technology is part of Beijing’s push to establish a self-reliant supply chain for sectors deemed critical to national security
The gas turbine – an advanced power generation unit – is being developed by state-owned China State Shipbuilding Corporation, Economic Daily reported on Monday.
It is part of a push by Beijing to establish a self-reliant supply chain for sectors it sees as crucial to national security and China’s industrial base.
Advanced gas turbine engines are on Washington’s list of critical and emerging technologies that are subject to export controls for “national security” reasons.
The CGT50 gas turbine is expected to power China’s next-generation aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships and destroyers. It could also be used in civilian applications – serving as industrial mechanical drives and in peaking power plants that run when there is high demand for electricity.
On Friday, China State Shipbuilding Corporation also unveiled a 3MW gas turbine, the CGT3. It launched two heavier units – the 33.5MW CGT30 and the 44MW CGT40 – in December 2024.
Liu Bingbing, a scientist at the company’s 703rd Research Institute that develops the gas turbines, said the latest progress was a milestone for the technology.