The U.S. Navy awarded an $88 million contract to Florida State University to develop technology for next-generation ship power systems, expanding a research partnership aimed at improving the reliability and efficiency of future warships.
The five-year contract will fund research, modeling, simulation and testing of advanced shipboard power systems at FSU’s Center for Advanced Power Systems, with options that could increase the total value to $99.5 million.
“Modern naval vessels are essentially moving microgrids, facing energy demands that were unimaginable a few decades ago,” said CAPS Research Faculty Member Harsha Ravindra. “This partnership with NAVSEA allows us to push the boundaries of what’s possible in modeling and simulation as well as testing of advanced power system components in controller- and power- hardware-in-the-loop environment for shipboard electrical design, rapid prototyping and deployment on ships. The expertise provided by CAPS supports the Navy in design and risk reduction of ships that are faster, more resilient, and exponentially more energy efficient.”
It’s not the first time FSU has done work for the U.S. Navy. The Office of Naval Research helped establish CAPS at FSU in 2000 and it has since spent the last quarter of a century working to advance power systems technology. It also became the first university test site accredited by the U.S. Navy to perform power hardware-in-the-loop simulation testing of megawatt-scale power equipment for surface combatants in 2016.
“This $88 million contract reflects the Navy’s confidence in FSU’s expertise and underscores our role in advancing power systems research with real-world impact,” said FSU President Richard McCullough.
This most recent research object will involve a collaboration with “an extensive network of partners” across the country, the university said.
“CAPS has the unique infrastructure, expertise and computational power to serve as the anchor for this nationwide research effort. It’s incredibly rewarding to lead a project that tackles real-world engineering challenges that directly impact national security,” said CAPS Researcher James Langston.
On Thursday, Sen. Rick Scott called the announcement “incredible news.”
“Florida State University’s Center for Advanced Power Systems will play a key role in supporting and strengthening our U.S. Navy,” the senator wrote on X. “Our Sailors and Marines deserve fast and resilient warships as they keep threats at bay around the globe, and the experts at Florida State stand ready to develop the cutting-edge capabilities that make our Navy the most LETHAL fighting force in the world. I’m proud of Florida’s innovative leadership in modeling and simulation to strengthen America’s military.”
The work is expected to conclude in June 2031.