The Navy is transferring forward with the acquisition of a next-generation logistics ship to fulfill the demand for the ocean service’s deliberate way forward for models unfold over huge distances, in line with a solicitation issued by Naval Sea Programs Command final week.
The tentative plan for this system, also referred to as the Gentle Replenishment Oiler (TAOL), requires 13 ships that will be smaller than the present John Lewis-class of replenishment oilers at present beneath development.
“The NGLS will allow refueling, rearming and resupply of naval and [U.S. Marine Corps] property and be able to working in contested and non-contested environments. The NGLS is envisioned to be smaller than present ships within the Fight Logistics Pressure, function in international maritime domains and maintain afloat and ashore Navy and USMC necessities,” reads an outline of this system within the discover on SAM.gov.
The Navy intends to situation a request for proposal to trade for the NGSL later this yr, in line with the discover. Congress put aside $100 for growth work to start out on the brand new class in Fiscal Yr 2028 as a part of the Reconciliation laws handed earlier this yr. The invoice additionally put aside $2.75 billion for extra John Lewis-class oilers.
The NGLS gentle oilers will help the Navy’s rising distributed maritime operations (DMO) template and the Marine Corps’ Expeditionary Superior Base Operations (EABO) and Littoral Operations in a Contested Surroundings (LOCE) ideas.
Whereas the service is now largely organized round massive formations like provider strike teams and amphibious prepared teams, DMO proposes to unfold ships additional aside with smaller formations. Present strike teams and amphibious teams are sometimes supported by not less than one massive oiler, whereas the smaller oilers will have the ability to attain the extra extensively dispersed formations. The ships would additionally help EABO, the Marines’ deliberate island-hopping marketing campaign that will transfer small ship-killing models throughout the Pacific, in line with the Navy.
The service has explored growing the category earlier than and awarded examine contracts to Austal USA, Bollinger Shipyards of Lockport and TAI Engineers for examine contracts to construct the ship in 2021.
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