GE Aerospace wins follow-on order for LM500 turbines on ROK Navy’s PKX-B Batch-II patrol boats

GE Aerospace said it will supply eight additional LM500 marine gas turbine engines for the Republic of Korea Navy’s (ROKN) PKX-B Batch-II patrol boat program, covering ships nine through twelve. The announcement, dated April 30, 2025, positions the LM500 as a continuing propulsion choice for the next set of littoral-defense vessels, following earlier ROKN selections for earlier batches.

In the PKX-B Batch-II configuration described by GE Aerospace, the LM500 serves as the boost engine in a combined diesel and gas turbine (CODAG) arrangement. In CODAG designs, diesel power is typically used for economical cruising, while the gas turbine provides higher power for rapid response and higher speeds - an approach aimed at balancing range and mission tempo in coastal and near-shore operations. GE Aerospace said the LM500’s compact design and fuel-efficiency characteristics support that performance tradeoff.

GE Aerospace said the 2025 award extends its relationship with the ROKN and its shipbuilding partners. The company also linked the order to a multi-batch program history, noting a March 2023 selection for earlier PKX-B vessels and a March 2024 selection covering ships five through eight, before describing the April 2025 follow-on for ships nine through twelve.

The company said the turbine hardware will be manufactured in Lynn, Massachusetts, and delivered to Hanwha Aerospace, which GE described as a long-standing in-country licensee. GE said Hanwha will assemble and test the engines before delivering them for installation, and that Hanwha also co-manufactures components and provides spares and services support over the life of the ships.

The LM500 is an aeroderivative marine gas turbine - an engine adapted from aircraft technology rather than designed from scratch for marine use. GE’s product materials describe the LM500 as derived from GE’s CF34 turbofan engine and characterize it as a simple-cycle, two-shaft gas turbine optimized for marine applications requiring light weight and fuel economy, with corrosion-resistant design features intended for long component life in harsh environments.

GE also framed the order as a propulsion-services relationship rather than a one-time equipment sale. In its statement, GE Aerospace’s marine sales and marketing vice president said the contract award reinforces GE’s role as a marine propulsion provider for navies that require high-performance systems, adding that GE is “soon to be powering 77 ships with 156 marine gas turbines.”

Notably, GE did not disclose contract value, delivery milestones beyond the ships covered by this order, or any detailed performance figures specific to the Batch-II units in the April 2025 announcement. The release also did not state whether the follow-on would include further batches, leaving the scope of future procurement - if any - unclear.

Still, with the PKX-B program spanning multiple batches and involving shipbuilder and in-country industrial partners, the practical takeaway for the defense industrial base is that GE’s LM500 continues to be “locked in” as a core propulsion element for ROKN fast patrol platforms. Investors and analysts are likely to watch for subsequent announcements that quantify delivery schedules, expand engine quantities, or add services and sustainment agreements as ships progress toward commissioning.