JOHN LEWIS (T-AO-205) class

  4 (+8) JOHN LEWIS-class FLEET REPLENISHMENT OILER (AOR) 
 Name                  Pendant No.   Launched         Commissioned     Status  
 JOHN LEWIS            T-AO-205      Jan. 12, 2021    July 27, 2022    Active
 OSCAR V. PETERSON     T-AO-206      Nov. 6, 2021     July 11, 2023    Active
   (ex-HARVEY MILK)
 EARL WARREN           T-AO-207      Jan. 21, 2023    May 7, 2024      Active
 ROBERT F. KENNEDY     T-AO-208      Oct. 28, 2023    Dec. 10, 2024    Active
 LUCY STONE            T-AO-209      Sept. 21, 2025   ...              Building
 SOJOURNER TRUTH       T-AO-210      April 25, 2025   ...              Building
 THURGOOD MARSHALL     T-AO-211      ...              ...              Building
 RUTH BADER GINSBURG   T-AO-212      ...              ...              Building 
 HARRIET TUBMAN        T-AO-213      ...              ...              Ordered
 DOLORES HUERTA        T-AO-214      ...              ...              Ordered
 JOSHUA L. GOLDBERG    T-AO-215      ...              ...              Ordered
 THOMAS D. PARHAM      T-AO-216      ...              ...              Ordered

The JOHN LEWIS class are U.S. fleet replenishment oilers (AOR) designed for underway replenishment of fuel and stores for deployed Navy ships and carrier-embarked aircraft. The class can carry and supply fuel, ammunition, fresh water, lubricants, provisions and dry cargo. They are designed to support, alongside dry cargo/ammunition ships, the refueling of Naval Carrier Strike Groups (CSGs) and Amphibious Ready Groups, as well as surface forces.

HULL: These ships are double-hulled to protect interior cargo and prevent oil and chemical spills. While light these ships displace 24,442 tons, and when fully loaded they displace 54,950 tons. They are 745 ft 9 in (227.3 m) long with beams of 105 ft 8 in (32.2 m) and drafts of 33 ft 6 in (10.2 m).
These ships are capable of carrying 162,164 barrels of liquid cargo and 200 metric tons of potable water. 4,500 sq ft (417 m2) of dry cargo space is fitted along with 4,660 sq ft (433 m2) of refrigerated cargo space.
Five refueling stations and two dry cargo transfer rigs are fitted. Two 5.5-ton rated cranes can be used to load and unload cargo. The ships are equipped with ten main cargo centrifugal pumps each capable of operating at 3,000 gpm (11,355 lpm).
An aft helipad can be used to refuel helicopters.
The full crew complement is 99 civilian mariners. The ships have accommodation for 125.

ENGINEERING: Two Fairbanks Morse MAN 12V48/60CR four-stroke medium diesel engines produce 38,620 total bhp driving two shafts. Controllable pitch propellers are also fitted.
The ships have a top speed of 20 knots and maximum range of 6,147 nm (11,400 km).

ARMAMENT: The ships' helicopter landing pad can handle SH-60 Seahawk, UH-1Y Venom, AH-1J Sea Cobra, CH-53A Sea Stallion, CH-53K King Stallion, CH-53E Super Stallion, MV-22 and Military Sealift Command (MSC) logistics helicopters.
An unknown number of 12.7-mm machine guns are equipped. The ships are fitted for but not with 20-mm Mk 15 Phalanx close-in weapons stations and SeaRAM missile systems.

SENSORS/ELECTRONICS: The class is fitted with an unknown navigation radar. An AN/SLQ-25 Nixie towed torpedo decoy is installed for submarine defense. An advanced degaussing anti-mine system is also fitted.

NOMENCLATURE: Each ship is named after a figure who advocated and advanced civil and human rights causes in the U.S. The OSCAR V. PETERSON is named after a Navy Medal of Honor recipient from the Second World War.

Entering service.
Four in service with the Military Sealift Command’s (MSC) Combat Logistics Force. 20 total ships planned.

The JOHN LEWIS class began as the T-AO(X) program designed to replace the HENRY J. KAISER (TAO-187) oiler class as a fleet replenishment oiler capable of supporting U.S. Carrier Strike Groups (CSG) and similar deployments worldwide.

The Center for Naval Analyses conducted an Analysis of Alternatives study in 2011, reviewing several designs, evaluating costs and making recommendations on fleet size and requirements. The evaluation recommended the procurement of 17 fleet replenishment oilers, however that number later increased to 20.

On Jan. 6, 2015, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the ships would be named after advocates for civil and human rights in the U.S., with the lead vessel named for Representative John Lewis.

In June 2015, the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) validated the requirements for the class including the capacity for 156,000 barrels of cargo fuel, 53,000 cubic ft of dry cargo and 26,000 cubic feet of freeze/chilled cargo.

On June 25, 2015, the Navy issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the design and construction of the first six JOHN LEWIS-class oilers. Bidding was limited to Huntington Ingalls and General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (GD NASSCO). GD NASSCO was awarded a $3.2 billion block buy contract for the first six vessels on June 30, 2016. Construction was planned to begin on the first hull in September 2018.

Fairbanks Morse was awarded a contract to supply the lead ship, JOHN LEWIS with propulsion systems in August 2016, and a follow up contract for 34 engines was signed in March 2017.

The keel was laid for JOHN LEWIS on May 13, 2019. The ship was launched on Jan. 12, 2021, and christened in July 2021. Builder’s sea trials for the ship began on Feb. 1, 2022, and acceptance trials were conducted on April 25, 2022. The ship’s delivery was accepted by the Navy on July 27, 2022.

The OSCAR V. PETERSON was laid down under the name HARVEY MILK in September 2020 and was christened and launched on Nov. 6, 2021. The ship was delivered on July 11, 2023.

In June 2022, GD NASSCO received a $500 million contract modification to support the design and construction of the seventh and eighth ships of the class. An option was available for the ninth ship.

EARL WARREN was laid down on April 30, 2022, and was christened and launched on Jan. 21, 2023. The vessel was delivered on May 7, 2024.

ROBERT F. KENNEDY was laid down on Dec. 6, 2022. The ship was christened and launched on Oct. 28, 2023.

On May 22, 2023, GD NASSCO received a $736 million contract modification for the construction of the ninth ship of the class with plans to begin construction in 2025. Delivery is slated for March 2028. On Sept. 17, 2023, Secretary of the Navy Carlos del Toro announced the vessel would be named HARRIET TUBMAN.

LUCY STONE had her keel laid on Aug. 8, 2023. The vessel was christened and launched on Sept. 21, 2024.

SOJOURNER TRUTH was laid down on June 21, 2024 and launched on April 26, 2025.

THURGOOD MARSHALL was laid down on Dec. 5, 2024.

RUTH BADER GINSBURG was laid down on Oct. 8, 2024.

On June 3, media reports surfaced that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had directed Secretary of the Navy John Phelan to rename the oiler HARVEY MILK, with a planned announcement for June 13. On June 26, the vessel was formally renamed the OSCAR V. PETERSON, honoring a Medal of Honor recipient who fought the Battle of the Coral Sea. The ship had originally been named after the first openly gay politician in California and Navy veteran, Harvey Milk. Per Secretary Hegseth, the ship's name did not align with President Donald Trump's priorities of "re-establishing the warrior culture" in the armed forces. Hegseth stated in a June 11 Senate hearing that the service is "not interested in naming ships after activists". It is unclear if the Navy plans to rename any more of the JOHN LEWIS-class oilers.

General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO), San Diego, Calif., USA

 CREW
   Total                   99 civilian mariners
   Accommodation           125

 DISPLACEMENT
   Light                   24,442 tons    
   Full load               54,950 tons

 DIMENSIONS
   Length                  745 ft 9 in (227.3 m)
   Beam                    105 ft 8 in ( 32.2 m)
   Draft                    33 ft 6 in ( 10.2 m)

 PROPULSION
   Main                    2 x Fairbanks Morse MAN 12V48/60CR medium diesels
      power                38,620 total bhp; 2 shafts; controllable-pitch propellers

 PERFORMANCE
   Speed                   20 knots
   Range                   6,147 nm (11,400 km)

 COMBAT SYSTEMS
   Helicopter              1 x landing deck
   Guns                    Unknown no. 12.7-mm machine guns
                           20-mm Mk 15 Phalanx CIWS (fitted for)
   Missiles                SeaRAM launcher (fitted for)
   Radars                  Unknown navigation      
   EW                      1 x AN/SLQ-25 Nixie towed torpedo decoy

An incident at the GD NASSCO shipyard led to the flooding of a dry dock causing a delay in the program. As a result of the incident delivery of the lead ship, JOHN LEWIS was delayed from June 2021 to March 2022.

The contract for the first six ships was valued at $3.2 billion, approximately $533.3 million per ship.
Combined procurement of the 5th and 6th ships cost $1.056 billion equivalent to $528.1 million each.
The FY2024 Navy budget requested $815.4 million for the acquisition of the 10th ship as well as $122.9 million in cost to complete procurement funding.
A Congressional Research Service report dated July 23, 2024, projected a per-unit cost of over $800 million each for the FY2025 to 2029 period.

Originally designated T-AO(X) program. Also known as the T-AO-205 class.