General Dynamics NASSCO has laid the keel for the US Navy’s eighth John Lewis-class replenishment oiler, USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg (T-AO 212), at its San Diego shipyard. Named after the late Supreme Court Associate Justice, the ceremony marked the formal start of construction, with her daughter Jane Ginsburg welding her initials onto a steel plate for the hull. The John Lewis-class program began under a $3.2 billion contract in 2016 covering T-AO 205 through 210, later expanded as part of a plan to procure up to 20 vessels to replace aging Henry J. Kaiser-class oilers. Measuring 746 feet long with a 162,000-barrel fuel capacity, the ships support fleet operations globally. Operated by Military Sealift Command, they are powered by twin diesel engines, achieving speeds of 20 knots and ranges exceeding 6,000 nautical miles.
