Military Sealift Marks Milestone with First Ship of New Class

The U.S. Military Sealift Command has marked a key milestone nearly a decade after it started the program to introduce a new class of fleet replenishment oilers, now known as the John Lewis class. Construction was authorized in 2016 and began in 2018 on the first ship of the class, and now she has been officially introduced to the Third Fleet.

The 746-foot vessel, USNS John Lewis (T-AO 205) completed her final task in the certification by refueling the U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin off the coast of Southern California Saturday. It was certified on March 10, 2025, and with Saturday’s mission, the first fleet tasking, the ship becomes fleet operational. Certified “Ready for Tasking,” John Lewis will depart on its first deployment later this year. 

“Having USNS John Lewis certified for tasking, providing support to Third Fleet, gives the United States another asset to provide logistics services in a timely, safe and professional manner that MSC is known for throughout the Navy and throughout the world,” said Nikki Phelps, MSCPAC’s deputy operations officer. “This is a very positive step in the life of this ship and its fellow ships in the class.”

Christened at the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego, California on July 17, 2021, Lewis completed sea trials in July 2022 and was moved to MSC operating in the Military Sealift Command Pacific area of operations as an MSC tasked ship. 

The ship has already had a moment of distinction during her commissioning phase. In December 2022 transiting from Hawaii to California, she answered a distress call from a stranded sailor. She rescued the individual who had been drifting at sea in a small sailboat with a torn sail.

 

John Lewis at sea during her builder's trials in 2022 (General Dynamics NASSCO)

 

John Lewis, named for a famous leader in the U.S. civil rights movement and later a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1987 to 2020, is the first ship of the class. She and a sister ship, Harvey Milk, are the first two to become active, while a total of 17 vessels are currently under construction or on order. The Lewis-class oilers will replace the current Kaiser Class fleet replenishment oilers as they age out of the MSC fleet.

This class of oilers can carry 162,000 barrels of diesel ship fuel, aviation fuel, and dry stores cargo. The upgraded oiler is built with double hulls to protect against oil spills and strengthened cargo and ballast tanks.