The Military Sealift Command‘s USNS John Lewis, the first of a new class of fleet oilers built in San Diego, is now ready for deployment after completing its first refueling operation.
The Navy announced that the John Lewis successfully refueled the guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin off the coast of Southern California last week.
“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,” said Nikki Phelps, deputy operations officer for Military Sealift Command Pacific. “This is a very positive step in the life of this ship and its fellow ships in the class.”
The 746-foot-long ship was built at the NASSCO shipyard in Barrio Logan and launched in 2021. It can carry 162,000 barrels of diesel ship fuel and aviation fuel along with dry cargo.
It is the first of what will ultimately be a class of 20 ships replacing an earlier generation of oilers. Five have been completed, and three more are under construction. All of the ships are named for civil rights leaders.
The Military Sealift Command supports 140 civilian-crewed vessels that replenish U.S. Navy warships at sea, conduct specialized missions, and move military equipment and supplies to deployed U.S. forces.
