(SAN DIEGO) — General Dynamics NASSCO delivered USNS Lucy Stone (T-AO 209), a John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oiler, to the U.S. Navy on Tuesday. Delivery follows the successful completion of sea trials to test the readiness and capability of the ship and to validate requirements.
“The delivery of USNS Lucy Stone will provide our fleet with another oiler, enhancing our replenishment underway and direct fueling capabilities,” said John Lighthammer, program manager, auxiliary and special mission shipbuilding. “This is a significant milestone as we bring our civilian mariners an additional ship equipped with the tools to support at sea operations.”
John Lewis-class ships are operated by the Military Sealift Command (MSC) and feature substantial volume for oil, dry cargo capacity and aviation operations. T-AOs provide additional capacity to the Navy’s Combat Logistics Force and are a cornerstone of the Navy’s fuel delivery capability.
The 746-foot Lucy Stone is the fifth ship in the 20-ship John Lewis class, previously known as the TAO(X). Following more testing and trials, the ship will be crewed and sailed by MSC, providing logistics support to Navy ships at sea. Lewis-class oilers will replace the current Kaiser-class fleet replenishment oilers and they age out of the fleet.
The new ship honors American suffragist Lucy Stone, who joined other notable advocates such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Ernestine Rose, and Antoinette Brown Blackwell to petition for suffrage and abolition in the 19th century. Her efforts as a founder of the Women’s National Loyal League were essential to the passage of the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery.
“It is my pleasure to welcome MSC’s newest ship to our fleet,” said Capt. Dustin Lonero, commander, Military Sealift Command Pacific. “The ships of the Lewis class are the future of our Combat Logistics Force, and we are ready to have them in service, providing logistics services to the ships of the US Navy as they operate around the world.”
MSC directs and supports operations for approximately 140 civilian-crewed ships that replenish Navy ships at sea, conduct specialized missions, preposition combat cargo at sea around the world, perform a variety of support services, and move military equipment and supplies to deployed U.S. forces. Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2024, MSC exists to support the joint warfighter across the full spectrum of military operations, with a workforce that includes approximately 6,000 civil service mariners and 1,100 contract mariners, supported by 1,500 shore staff and 1,400 active duty and reserve military personnel.
General Dynamics NASSCO is also in production on the following T-AOs: USNS Sojourner Truth (T-AO 210), Thurgood Marshall (T-AO 211), Ruth Bader Ginsburg (T-AO 212), and Harriet Tubman (T-AO 213). The future USNS Dolores Huerta (T-AO 214), Joshua L. Goldberg (T-AO 215), Thomas D. Parham Jr. (T-AO 216) are under contract.
