Q&A: 10 minutes with George Whittier, CEO, FMD

George Whittier, CEO, Fairbanks Morse Defense.

Marine Log (ML): George, can you tell us more about how you got involved with the industry and FMD? 

George Whittier (GW): I started my career with Coltec Industries, which operated Fairbanks Morse before it was part of EnPro Industries. I worked with the company in various roles for 17 years, culminating in my role as president. I left in 2012 to pursue some different leadership opportunities. When Arcline Investment Management acquired Fairbanks Morse in 2020, they invited me to return as CEO. 

The mission we have and the products we provide matter. If we don’t do our job, the Navy can’t do its job. That means the seas are not free, and we take that very seriously. Every employee of Fairbanks Morse Defense really feels that value to the world—it’s the number one reason I work here. 

ML: Although your primary focus is defense, how does your portfolio of companies also support U.S. commercial shipyards? 

GW: Since the end of 2020, Fairbanks Morse Defense has acquired 11 companies to expand our product portfolio and service capabilities for maritime defense customers. Most of these acquired business units share a common focus: serving maritime defense customers and maintaining established relationships within that sector. However, they also cater to a limited number of commercial customers.     

Even though our primary focus is now on defense, Fairbanks Morse Defense and our portfolio companies still highly value all our customers, including those in the commercial sector. Our engine technicians continue to provide maintenance, repair, and parts replacement services for commercial ships, municipal and nuclear power plants, hospitals, universities, and international stationary power applications, in addition to our defense customers.

Moreover, our business units still offer select products and services for commercial customers. For example, our American Fan business unit provides limited products and services for general industrial and high-temperature markets, alongside marine fans and ventilation solutions. Similarly, our Hunt Valve business unit offers industrial and commercial nuclear valves.

 ML: Has there been any commercial interest in the new nForcer engine? 

GW: While the nForcer FM 175D+ engine might attract some commercial interest, our primary focus for this product differs. This engine marks Fairbanks Morse Defense’s first high-speed offering, introduced last year to support future programs for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and the Military Sealift Command.

From my observations and conversations with maritime defense agency representatives, it’s clear that the Navy’s future fleet will be electric, with power requirements far exceeding those of the past 20-30 years. The advanced systems and technology being integrated into new platforms demand significant power in addition to the standard operating systems.

One of the key advantages of the nForcer FM 175D+ is its compact size, which offers greater installation flexibility. Currently, large engines are confined to engine rooms at the front and back of the hull, making the ship vulnerable if these spaces are compromised. In contrast, smaller, power-dense engines like the nForcer FM 175D+ can be dispersed throughout the ship. If one engine is compromised, others can continue to power critical systems and operations.

ML: Would you care to comment on the access to the latest R&D from MAN ES you get as a licensee? 

GW: Fairbanks Morse Defense is an SE licensee for MAN Energy Solutions for the U.S. market. We regularly meet with its representatives to review the latest research and development programs and discuss potential applications for our maritime defense customers now and in the future. This is a strong relationship for us and we’re proud of the work we’re doing with them to serve the Navy. 

ML: To what extent do you try to keep local leadership and expertise in place at companies you’ve acquired? 

GW: We believe that retaining local leadership in our acquired companies is crucial to our mutual success because local teams have an unmatched understanding of their companies and products. However, our ultimate goal is to preserve the small-to-mid-sized businesses that are a critical part of the national defense supply chain. The Navy needs reliable suppliers capable of manufacturing and delivering final assets and handling aftermarket requirements. For instance, a shipbuilder might contract with a supplier to build engines for Navy ships constructed through 2045, so they need a high level of confidence the supplier will still be around through 2045 to deliver those engines. On top of that, those engines have a 40+ year lifespan, so the supplier also needs to be healthy enough to provide those aftermarket services through 2085. 

Through our acquisition process, we’ve encountered many small- to medium-sized companies that provide essential components or aftermarket services to prime defense contractors, but their owners are ready to retire or step away and they don’t have a succession plan. Without a plan, these businesses often close, making it difficult for shipbuilders and the Navy to source these niche parts, technology, or aftermarket services. That’s when we step in. With our 150-year history, Fairbanks Morse Defense is well-positioned to bring these essential companies under our umbrella, preserving the Navy’s critical component supply chain. 

ML: Is there anything new under wraps at your Technology Center of Excellence? 

GW: There’s always something new happening at our Technology Center of Excellence. Our team is not just tackling today’s technological challenges—they’re anticipating the ones we might face 10-20 years down the road and figuring out how to address them now.

Take FM OnBoard, our signature mixed-reality technology. This groundbreaking platform is set to revolutionize maintenance and training across the fleet. With FM OnBoard, technicians can monitor real-time engine performance using a digital twin that mirrors the actual status of vessel assets. This allows for detailed monitoring and anomaly detection. The AI and machine learning features analyze the data, enabling the system to predict potential issues so technicians can take preemptive action.  Additionally, FM OnBoard also supports onboard teams with remote technical assistance via video collaboration. Through mixed-reality headsets, our experts can provide training and technical support from anywhere in the world. 

In addition to FM Onboard, Fairbanks Morse Defense is a leader in additive manufacturing, aka 3D printing.  Currently, the potential of additive manufacturing for submarine components, even for challenging alloys such as copper-nickel, has been largely untapped. This is about to change. Earlier this year, our valve business in Ohio, Hunt Valve, embarked on a groundbreaking project with the Maritime Sustainment Technology and Innovation Consortium (MSTIC) to develop a 70-pound 3D valve assembly for a U.S. submarine—a pioneering use of additive manufacturing in the submarine program.

Editor’s Note: Read this op-ed written by George Whittier on Marine Log.