First steel cut for US Navy’s fourth John Lewis-class fleet oiler

General Dynamics NASSCO officially began construction of a new replenishment oiler for the US Navy with a steel-cutting ceremony held on Friday, May 21.

The vessel will be named USNS Robert F. Kennedy after the late US Attorney General, who was assassinated in 1968 while he was campaigning for election to the US Presidency.

The future Robert F. Kennedy will be the fourth ship of a planned six John Lewis-class replenishment oilers. Designed to transfer fuel to US Navy carrier strike group ships operating at sea, the 742-foot (226-metre) vessels will each have a full load displacement of 49,850 tons (45,223 tonnes) and the capacity to carry 157,000 barrels of oil, a significant dry cargo capacity, aviation capability, and a speed of up to 20 knots.