How integrated electric drive shares power across a warship

Modern electric drive can supply propulsion, sensors, and hotel loads from the ship's total generating capacity. Removing reduction gearing also removes a source of machinery noise. Electric motor control permits rapid changes of shaft speed and reversing, so controllable-pitch propellers are not essential to that function. Retaining adjustable pitch is raised as another option for tuning efficiency or noise. The Queen Elizabeth-class carriers provide the example of a ship using electric propulsion. A participant also repeats reports of Zumwalt-class ships surprising attack submarines in exercises, with the exercise accounts presented as hearsay.