Navy Gas Turbine Systems Technicians — Mechanical (GSM) maintained the propulsion gas turbines, reduction gears, propulsion shafting, and associated mechanical systems in Navy ships powered by General Electric LM2500 gas turbines — the Spruance class destroyers, Oliver Hazard Perry class frigates, Ticonderoga class cruisers, and Arleigh Burke class destroyers. GSM ratings operated and maintained the LM2500 gas turbine modules in gas turbine module rooms, performed turbine inlet inspection and maintenance, maintained exhaust systems and uptake ducting, and serviced the reduction gear and controllable-pitch propeller systems. Gas Turbine Systems Technicians working in LM2500 module rooms and maintaining gas turbine exhaust systems worked in proximity to high-temperature insulation materials on the gas turbine exhaust components, with the gas turbine exhaust and uptake systems of early-commissioned ships incorporating asbestos-containing high-temperature insulation on exhaust components. Early-commissioned Spruance class destroyers and Perry class frigates, entering service in the mid-1970s, were built during the transition period when asbestos-containing materials were still present in some Navy construction specifications for high-temperature applications.

Gas Turbine Exhaust System Asbestos

LM2500 gas turbine exhaust systems incorporated asbestos-containing insulation:

  • Gas turbine exhaust duct and uptake insulation — the exhaust ducting routing high-temperature LM2500 turbine exhaust gases from the turbine module to the ship’s stack uptake system incorporated high-temperature insulating materials on exhaust duct surfaces. Early-commissioned Spruance class and Perry class ships built in the mid-to-late 1970s used exhaust insulation materials that in some installations incorporated asbestos-containing high-temperature insulation materials. GSM ratings performing exhaust system inspections and maintenance in gas turbine uptake spaces worked in proximity to the exhaust duct insulation materials during maintenance operations
  • Gas turbine module enclosure insulation — the gas turbine module room enclosures in Spruance class and Perry class ships used high-temperature insulating materials on module room surfaces adjacent to the turbine exhaust sections. GSM ratings performing LM2500 module inspections in the module room worked in proximity to the module enclosure insulation materials

Gas Turbine Module Room and Reduction Gear Gasket Asbestos

Gas turbine mechanical systems incorporated asbestos in sealing materials:

  • Reduction gear and coupling gasket materials — the reduction gear casings and flexible coupling assemblies in LM2500-powered ships used gasket materials at gear case cover joints and coupling housing joints that in early-production mechanical systems may have incorporated asbestos-containing compressed gasket materials. GSM ratings performing reduction gear inspections requiring gear case cover removal encountered gasket materials at the gear case cover joint faces
  • Gas turbine fuel system gasket materials — the gas turbine fuel supply manifold and fuel nozzle connections incorporated gasket and seal materials in the high-pressure fuel system assembly. GSM ratings performing fuel nozzle maintenance on LM2500 turbines encountered fuel system connection gasket and seal materials during nozzle removal and replacement

Interior Construction Asbestos

Early-commission gas turbine ships incorporated asbestos in crew spaces:

  • Transitional era crew space construction — Spruance class destroyers commissioned 1975–1980 and Oliver Hazard Perry class frigates commissioned 1977–1982 were built during the transitional period when asbestos-containing floor tile and some interior construction materials were still used in Navy ship construction specifications. GSM ratings and crew members serving aboard early-commission ships in this class accumulated background asbestos exposure from the transitional-era interior construction materials

VA Claims for Gas Turbine Systems Technicians

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure aboard Navy vessels. Gas Turbine Systems Technicians who maintained LM2500 propulsion systems in naval vessel gas turbine spaces aboard early-commission gas turbine ships and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.