Cut the Fuel and Maintenance Tail of Deployed Power
Fuel convoys and forward maintenance are the expensive, exposed part of deployed power. A microturbine genset burns whatever grade arrives, needs one service visit per year, and the MTG12 runs at 60 dB LPA at 7 m, or 55 dB LPA at 7 m with the optional Super Quiet Pack, and the MTP40 has a design target of 60 dB LPA at 7 m, or 55 dB LPA at 7 m with the optional Super Quiet Pack, not yet verified by test, so the logistics tail and the acoustic signature come down together.
The cost of deployed power is the convoy and the crew
The purchase price of a tactical genset is the smallest number in the programme. Fuel delivered to a forward location costs a multiple of its price at the depot, and every maintenance visit is a movement that has to be planned, escorted and protected. Reducing the number of fuel and maintenance movements reduces exposure as well as cost.
Single-fuel dependency has its own price. A unit that only tolerates one grade constrains the resupply plan; one that runs what is available does not.
- Fuel moved forward
- 30 to 50% fuel cost saving against a like-for-like diesel genset, earned by running cheaper fuels such as kerosene instead of by burning fewer litres.
- Forward maintenance
- One service visit per year against once a month or 300 run hours for diesel, and up to 90% service cost saving on a like-for-like comparison. 1 moving part also means a smaller deployable spares kit.
- Fuel flexibility
- Runs diesel, kerosene, paraffin, HVO, FAME biofuel and blends of these with no hardware change, so the genset adapts to the resupply chain rather than dictating it.
- Signature
- MTG12: 60 dB LPA at 7 m (55 dB LPA at 7 m with the optional Super Quiet Pack). MTP40: 60 dB LPA at 7 m (design target, not yet verified by test). Sound pressure at 7 m in free-field conditions. The installation site may influence the values. Minimal vibration.
The defence power problem
Diesel gensets in tactical and expeditionary use are heavy on logistics: frequent service, dependence on a single fuel grade, and an acoustic signature that is hard to mask. Maintenance crews and fuel convoys both create exposure.
A power source that runs the available fuel - diesel, kerosene, paraffin - without reconfiguration, is serviced once a year, and runs quietly cuts both acoustic signature and logistics load.
If the technology is new to you, what a microturbine is and how it works covers the single moving part and the air bearing in plain terms, and the TCO calculator puts a number on the sustainment burden you remove.
Where the Bladon microturbine fits
- Multi-fuel by design - runs diesel, kerosene, paraffin, HVO, FAME biofuel without hardware change.
- Single moving part means fewer spares in the deployable kit and a longer mean time between failures.
- Acoustic signature: MTG12: 60 dB LPA at 7 m (55 dB LPA at 7 m with the optional Super Quiet Pack). MTP40: 60 dB LPA at 7 m (design target, not yet verified by test).
- One service visit per year reduces forward-area maintenance presence.
- Compact and container-mountable for rapid deployment.
- Remote monitoring for unmanned and semi-attended sites.
- Designed and manufactured in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
Can it run on kerosene-type military fuels?
The published fuel list is diesel, kerosene, paraffin, HVO, FAME biofuel, and blends of these. Kerosene and paraffin are on that list, so the unit can be supplied from a kerosene stream. No defence fuel qualification is claimed.
What is the acoustic signature?
On acoustic signature, the MTG12 runs at 60 dB LPA at 7 m, or 55 dB LPA at 7 m with the optional Super Quiet Pack, and the MTP40 has a design target of 60 dB LPA at 7 m, or 55 dB LPA at 7 m with the optional Super Quiet Pack, not yet verified by test. Bladon has not published an infrared signature figure, so nothing on this page should be read as a thermal claim. Where thermal signature is part of a requirement, discuss it with engineering as a measured requirement with test conditions.
Has it been qualified to defence standards?
Qualifications vary by programme and customer. Contact sales for a current statement of compliance, environmental qualification status, and any ongoing programme-specific testing.
Can it be ruggedised for forward deployment?
The MTG12 operates across -10°C to +45°C and the MTP40 across -20°C to +45°C, subject to de-rating for altitude and temperature above ISO 8528 reference conditions. Output de-rates for altitude and for temperature above ISO 8528 standard reference conditions. Cold Pack and Hot Pack kits are available for the ends of the range. Ruggedisation for forward deployment can be provided and specified to programme requirements.
What is the export-control posture?
Bladon operates from the UK under UK Strategic Export Controls, administered by the Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU). Where a programme involves the release of sensitive information to a foreign government or entity, MOD Form 680 clearance is handled case by case. US ITAR obligations apply only where US-origin controlled components are integrated. Export licences and end-user requirements are handled early in the procurement cycle - talk to sales.
What is the logistics footprint per unit?
920 kg, container-mountable, with one service visit per year and remote diagnostics. Compared to diesel, this typically reduces forward-area maintenance and fuel-convoy load substantially.
Can it support unmanned or remote sites?
Yes - remote monitoring is built in, and the long service interval makes the microturbine well suited to lightly-attended infrastructure power.
Specs at a glance
- MTG12 (forward positions)
- 12 kVA / 12 kW prime, Single phase
- MTP40 (camps, three phase)
- 40 kVA / 32 kW prime, 44 kVA standby, Three phase - now available for pre-order
- Fuels
- Diesel, kerosene, paraffin, HVO, FAME biofuel
- Service interval
- One service visit per year
- Design life
- 45,000 hours
- Noise
- MTG12: 60 dB LPA at 7 m (55 dB LPA at 7 m with the optional Super Quiet Pack). MTP40: 60 dB LPA at 7 m (design target, not yet verified by test)
- Origin
- UK design and manufacture
Related solutions
The same platform, applied to different site conditions.
Telecom tower power
Read this one if you run off-grid or bad-grid tower sites and your cost problem is diesel OPEX, fuel theft and service visit frequency.
Read moreOil and gas remote site power
Read this one if you power wellheads, pipeline monitoring or unmanned facilities in hot, dusty conditions with long service intervals.
Read moreCritical infrastructure power
Read this one if an outage carries a regulatory or safety cost and the site sits inside emissions or noise limits.
Read moreRelated pages
- Telecom tower powerOff-grid and bad-grid tower sites, fuel theft and OPEX.
- Oil and gas remote site powerWellhead and pipeline power in hot, dusty, remote conditions.
- Critical infrastructure powerResilient standby and prime power where downtime is not an option.
- MTG12 12 kVA microturbine gensetFull specification, fuels and service interval.
- MTP40 40 kVA three phase gensetAvailable for pre-order - reserve your delivery slot.
- Microturbine vs diesel genset comparisonSeven-year total cost of ownership, side by side.
- Total cost of ownership calculatorModel fuel, service and downtime costs for your own sites.
- Multi-fuel capabilityWhat the turbine runs on today, and what is in development.
- Track record and field evidenceThird-party references, deployment results and manufacturing capability.
- Case studiesDocumented deployments and measured outcomes.