US Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro has announced the names of two future John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oilers (T-AOs) to be the future USNS Joshua L. Goldberg and the future USNS Thomas D. Parham Jr.
The ships' namesakes are two decorated members of the US Navy Chaplain Corps. Captain Joshua L. Goldberg was Jewish rabbi who volunteered for service in World War II while Captain Thomas D. Parham Jr was a Presbyterian minister who served with the navy from 1944 until his retirement in 1982.
Like their John Lewis-class sisters, the ships will each have a length of 746 feet (227 metres), a beam of 106 feet (32.4 metres), a maximum draught of 33.5 feet (10.2 metres), a displacement of 24,818 tons (22,515 tonnes) and a crew complement of 125 including 99 civilian mariners.
Two Fairbanks-Morse/MAN 12V48/60CR four-stroke diesel engines will drive conventional propellers to deliver a speed of 20 knots and a range of over 6,140 nautical miles.
The vessels will be operated by the Military Sealift Command to provide diesel fuel and lubricating oil and small quantities of fresh and frozen provisions, stores, and potable water to US Navy ships at sea, as well as jet fuel for aircraft. The ships will also boast the capacity to carry up to 157,000 barrels of oil, a significant dry cargo capacity, and aviation capability courtesy of a helicopter deck.
General Dynamics NASSCO of San Diego, California, is the lead contractor for the manufacturer of the John Lewis-class T-AOs.