General Dynamics [GD] National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) held a ceremony on Sept. 20 marking the start of construction of the first of the new John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oilers, the future USNS John Lewis (T-AO-205).
The Naval Sea Systems Command said before construction started the Navy conducted a production readiness review (PRR) to very the efficiency and effectiveness of the design and production planning within the program. The Navy said the program reported detail design and 3D modeling of the John Lewis-class ships to be 95 percent finished. The PRR results were certified by the Secretary of the Navy and submitted to Congress on Sept. 6.
This first ship is scheduled to be finished by November 2020.
These oiler ships are based on commercial design standards and aim to recapitalize the current T-AO-187-class fleet replenishment oilers. The ships are part of the service’s Combat Logistics Force and the new class will be operated by the Navy’s Military Sealift Command.
The oilers transfer fuel to Navy carrier strike group ships operating at sea. NASSCO said the ship can carry up to 157,000 barrels of oil, a “significant dry cargo capacity,” aviation capability, and travels at up to 20 knots.
NASSCO won a competitive fixed-price incentive block buy contract worth 3.16 billion for the detail design and construction of six John Lewis-class oilers in 2016 (Defense Daily, June 30, 2016).
NAVSEA highlighted how the Navy worked with industry partners to develop the T-AO-205 design. They conducted “trade off studies that matured the government-developed ship specifications” that were then combined into integrated ship designs.