GD NASSCO awarded $6.75 billion T-AO block buy contract

Photo: GD NASSCO

NAVSEA has awarded shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO a $6.75 billion block-buy contract for the construction of up to eight additional John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oilers (T-AO 214 through 221) . The tenth ship, and first under the new contract, has been awarded for $780 million.

In 2016, the Navy awarded NASSCO a contract to design and build the first six ships in the next generation of fleet oilers, the John Lewis-class. In 2022, that contract was modified to add an additional three oilers.

Designed to transfer fuel to U.S. Navy ships operating at sea, the 742-feet vessels have a full load displacement of 49,850 tons, capacity to carry 162,000 barrels of oil and significant amounts of dry cargo, as well as providing aviation capability while traveling at speeds up to 20 knots.

The first ship, USNS John Lewis (T-AO 205), was delivered to the U.S. Navy in July 2022. The USNS Sojourner Truth (T-AO 210) and the USNS Thurgood Marshall (T-AO 211) are currently under construction, while the USNS Lucy Stone (T-AO 209) will be christened and launched on September 21, 2024. Start of construction for the USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg (T-AO 212) will be in October 2024.

“We are pleased to continue building these ships, with seventeen of the Navy’s twenty-ship program of record now on contract. This will make the program the longest Navy production series in NASSCO history,” said Dave Carver, president of General Dynamics NASSCO. “The NASSCO team is honored to continue working with our Navy customer and thankful for their unwavering suppo