American Fan to Provide Ventilation Fans for Ten Flight III Destroyers
Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD), a company under Arcline Investment Management, has recently secured multiple purchase orders for its Ohio-based business unit, American Fan. The orders are for providing cooling and ventilation fans for ten Flight III Arleigh Burke guided-missile destroyers. These fans will be installed on future destroyers, including USS Thomas Kelley (DDG-140), USS Ernest E. Evans (DDG-141), USS Charles J. French (DDG-142), USS Richard J. Danzig (DDG-143), USS Michael G. Mullen (DDG-144), and DDGs 145-149.
The ventilation equipment to be installed on the destroyers includes Gas Turbine Room Blowers (GTRB), Collective Protection System (CPS) fans for ventilation against nuclear, biological, and chemical substances, as well as Vaneaxial and Centrifugal fans for machinery room and general shipboard cooling and ventilation.
In a significant development, the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) awarded contracts in August 2023 to HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division and another shipbuilder for the multi-year procurement of DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers for FY 2023 – 2027.
Subsequently, HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division awarded contracts to American Fan for seven DDG 51 class ships – DDG-141, DDG-142, DDG-143, DDG-145, DDG-146, DDG-147, and DDG-149. These contracts are part of the Navy’s plan to construct ten Flight III Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers over the next five years.
American Fan’s Vice President and General Manager, Paul Brown, expressed pride in the company’s selection to provide ventilation equipment for the DDG program. He stated, “Fairbanks Morse Defense and American Fan have a long history of supporting national security equipment and services that ensure reliable operations and minimal downtime.”
American Fan’s products are manufactured in Fairfield, Ohio, and are currently used in over 35 U.S. Navy, Military Sea Lift Command, and U.S. Coast Guard shipbuilding programs. These fans are designed to withstand harsh marine conditions, including saltwater exposure, high humidity, and fluctuating temperatures. They are crucial for various air-moving applications onboard, such as ventilation for engine rooms, cooling electronic equipment, and maintaining air circulation below deck.