General Dynamics’ National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) [GD] on Dec. 5 laid the keel for the future USNS Robert F. Kennedy
(T-AO 208), the fourth John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oiler (T-AO 205).
The keel laying marks the start of ship construction with the joining together of modular components.
T-AO 208 aims to help recapitalize the current older Henry J. Kaiser-class replenishment oiler (T-AO-187). The oilers are operated by Military Sealift Command to provide up to 162,000 barrels of oil as underway replenishment fuel for Navy ships and jet fuel for aircraft posted to aircraft carriers. The new oilers also provide some dry cargo capacity, aviation capability and can travel up to 20 knots.
The new T-AO 205 class are designed with double hulls and strengthened cargo and ballast tanks to help protect against oil spills. The Navy plans to procure 20 new oilers total.
“We are excited to celebrate this milestone as we work to bring another oiler to the fleet to support at-sea operations. The USNS Robert F. Kennedy will bring significant contributions to the fleet as the primary fuel pipeline to refuel ships at sea,” Jana Polzin, deputy program manager at the Auxiliary and Special Mission Shipbuilding Program Office, said in a statement.
NASSCO is currently in production on the future USNS Lucy Stone (T-AO 209) and two Expeditionary Sea Base ships (ESB), the future USS John L. Canley (ESB-6) and USS Robert E. Simanek (ESB 7).
The company also has the future USNS Sojourner Truth (T-AO 210), Thurgood Marshall (T-AO 211) and Ruth Bader Ginsburg (T-AO 212) and ESB-8 under contract.
According to the Navy’s fiscal year 2023 budget request, procurement costs for the oilers covering FY ‘23 to FY ‘27 range from $679 million to $795 million each.
The first six John Lewis-class oilers were procured under a block buy contract from the FY ‘16 defense authorization act.
In July, the Navy accepted delivery of the first ship in the new class, the USNS John Lewis (T-AO 205) (Defense Daily, July 29).