American firm GE Aviation has announced that its GE38 engine is being developed for marine use.

The company says that the GE38 is the most technologically-advanced turboshaft engine in its class, and has been selected to power the Sikorsky(r) CH-53K helicopter which is in development for the U.S. Marine Corps.

According to GE, the engine provides 57% more power, 18% better fuel consumption and has 63% few parts than its predecessor.

There is also a marine version of the GE38 which the company says can be used on ship-to-shore transport vessels used by the US Navy and also to generate power on destroyers

GE38 development testing is well under way at the company's Massachusetts facility and Brien Bolsinger, GE Marine general manager, said: "The GE38 is ideally suited to perform very well as a marine application. The engine was designed with corrosion-resistant materials to operate in harsh marine environments and its modular design provides for ease of field maintenance."