General Dynamics NASSCO has laid the keel of the US Navy’s seventh John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oiler ship in San Diego, California.
The event officially marked the USNS Thurgood Marshall’s (T-AO 211) construction by integrating the vessel’s modular components at ground level and etching the system sponsor’s initials into its keel plate.
Upon completion, the platform will sail under the Military Sealift Command to distribute fuel, dry cargo, and aviation capabilities for in-service ships at sea.
The Marshall was named after the first African American justice of the US Supreme Court, who worked on affirmative action, death penalty opposition, and abortion rights.
He served as a civil rights lawyer, focusing on anti-racial disparity across housing, primary elections, and public schools before being seated in the American federal court system.
Marshall’s granddaughters, Cecilla Marshall and Melonie Tibbs, as well as his granddaughter-in-law, Alissa Kamens Marshall, are the oiler’s sponsors.
“USNS Thurgood Marshall honors the legacy of an extraordinary civil and human rights leader who is an example of perseverance to all,” US Navy Auxiliary and Special Mission Ships Program Manager John Lighthammer stated.
“This keel laying marks the first of many significant milestones for this ship and we will work with a sense of urgency to deliver this ship to the Fleet.”
The US Navy John Lewis Vessel
The John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oiler measures 746 feet (227 meters) long and has a 107-foot (33-meter) beam.
The ship can accommodate more than 120 personnel, a maritime helicopter, and is armed with .50-caliber machine guns, close-in weapons systems, and surface-to-air missiles.
It is powered by twin Fairbanks-Morse diesel engines for a top speed of 20 knots (23 miles/37 kilometers per hour) and an endurance of over 6,000 nautical miles (6,905 miles/11,112 kilometers).
To date, industry partner NASSCO is constructing three John Lewis-class systems, including the Marshall, at its facility in California.
The keel of the sixth hull, USNS Sojourner Truth (T-AO 210), was laid in June this year.