The U.S. Navy has in its arsenal a helicopter-towed magnetic minesweeping system for the task of sweeping seas of underwater magnetic influence mines. The EDO MK 105 Airborne Minesweeping System is a helicopter-towed, unmanned hydrofoil platform which operates at high speed in varied ocean environments with minimum risk to personnel and equipment. A gas turbine engine-generator set aboard the platform provides electrical power solely for the minesweeping operation.
Based on a need to improve its supportability, as well as reliability and maintainability, the U.S. Navy decided to update the present operational system. This decision necessitated the re-engining of the existing power plant Accordingly, the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 aircraft gas turbine engine was selected as the replacement prime mover. This paper discusses the gas turbine engine, the system design that was developed to integrate an aircraft turbine into this unusual Naval craft and the successful test program. The turbine was designated Model ST6L-813 for this marine application.
