General Dynamics NASSCO Secures $6.75B U.S. Navy Contract for John Lewis-Class Oilers

General Dynamics NASSCO has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Navy to construct up to eight additional John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oilers, potentially valued at over $6.75 billion.

The U.S. Department of Defense detailed that the contract covers detailed design and construction of eight T-AO 205 John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oilers, specifically T-AO 214 through T-AO 221. Initial work begins with a $780 million allocation for the construction of the tenth ship in the series, with options for seven more vessels. The contract is scheduled for completion by January 2035.

This latest agreement increases the total number of John Lewis-class oilers contracted at NASSCO to seventeen, out of a planned fleet of twenty. The ships, each 742 feet long, are operated by the Military Sealift Command and play a critical role in at-sea refueling operations. They are capable of carrying 162,000 barrels of oil and a range of dry cargo, and can also provide aviation support while traveling at speeds of up to 20 knots.

The first ship in the class, USNS John Lewis (T-AO 205), was delivered in July 2022, followed by USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206) in July 2023 and USNS Earl Warren (T-AO 207) in May 2024. USNS Robert F. Kennedy (T-AO 208) was christened and launched in October 2023, and the USNS Lucy Stone (T-AO 209) is scheduled for christening and launch in September 2024. Construction is currently underway for the USNS Sojourner Truth (T-AO 210) and USNS Thurgood Marshall (T-AO 211), while work on the USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg (T-AO 212) is set to begin in October 2024.