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Updated December 22, 2020
Navy Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) Program:
Background and Issues for Congress
Introduction
on a relatively small number of large, high-value U.S. Navy
The Navy’s Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS)
ships. Under EABO, relatively small Marine Corps units
program envisages procuring a new class of medium-sized
armed with anti-ship cruise missiles and other weapons
at-sea resupply ships for the Navy. The Navy’s proposed
would hop on and off islands in the Western Pacific to
FY2021 budget requests $30.0 million in research and
conduct “shoot-and-scoot” operations against adversary
development (R&D) funding for the program. The issue for
ships. For more on DMO, EABO, and the Navy’s more
Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the
distributed fleet architecture, see CRS Report RL32665,
Navy’s proposed FY2021 funding request and emerging
Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background
acquisition strategy for the NGLS program. Congress’s
and Issues for Congress, by Ronald O'Rourke, and CRS
decisions on this issue could affect Navy capabilities and
Report R46374, Navy Light Amphibious Warship (LAW)
funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial
Program: Background and Issues for Congress, by Ronald
base.
O'Rourke.
Terminology
Logistics Ships Currently Being Procured
The Navy’s Combat Logistics Force (CLF) ships, also
The Navy is currently procuring new John Lewis (TAO-
called underway replenishment (UNREP) ships, are
205) class oilers (Figure 1), which are large CLF ships. For
logistics ships that resupply the Navy’s combatant ships
more on the TAO-205 program, see CRS Report R43546,
(e.g., aircraft carries, surface combatants, and amphibious
Navy John Lewis (TAO-205) Class Oiler Shipbuilding
ships) at sea, so that the combatant ships can continue
Program: Background and Issues for Congress, by Ronald
operating without having to return to port. The Navy’s
O'Rourke.
current CLF ships include oilers (TAOs), dry cargo and
ammunition ships (TAKEs), and fast combat support ships
Figure 1. John Lewis (TAO-205) Class Oiler
(TAOEs). In these designations, T means the ship is
Artist’s rendering
operated by the Military Sealift Command (MSC) with a
mostly civilian crew, A means auxiliary ship, O means
oiler, K means cargo, and E means ammunition (i.e.,
explosives). These CLF ships are large auxiliary ships.
Anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities aim to create a
defended area around a country that in time of conflict
would be a “no-go zone” for opposing military forces.
Source: General Dynamics/National Steel and Shipbuilding Company
Operational concepts are general approaches for how to use
(GD/NASSCO) of San Diego, CA, the builder of TAO-205s.
military forces for achieving certain objectives. Fleet
architecture refers to the types and mix of ships that make
Next-Generation Logistics Ship
up a navy.
(NGLS) Program
New Fleet Architecture and
Operational Concepts
Basic Concept for Ship
The NGLS program, also known as the Next-Generation
To more effectively counter the improving A2/AD
Medium Logistics Ship program, is a new initiative in the
capabilities of China in particular, the Navy wants to begin
Navy’s FY2021 budget submission. The program envisages
shifting to a new fleet architecture that is to be more
building a new class of CLF ships that would be medium-
distributed than the Navy’s current fleet architecture. This
sized and thus smaller and individually less expensive to
is because it is to include a reduced proportion of larger
procure than the Navy’s current CLF ships. NGLSs might
ships and an increased proportion of smaller ships. This
be built in two variants to perform specific missions. Like
more distributed fleet architecture is intended to support a
the Navy’s current CLF ships, NGLSs would be operated
new Navy and Marine Corps operational concept for
by MSC with mostly civilian crews. The Navy states that
countering adversary A2/AD forces, called Distributed
Maritime Operations (DMO), and an associated new
[t]he NGLS will enable refueling, rearming, and
Marine Corps operational concept called Expeditionary
Advanced Base Operations (EABO).
resupply of Naval assets—afloat and ashore—in
support of Distributed Maritime Operations,
DMO aims at avoiding a situation in which an adversary
Littoral Operations Contested Environment, and
could defeat U.S. naval forces by concentrating its attacks
Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations. The
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Navy Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) Program: Background and Issues for Congress
NGLS is envisioned to be smaller than existing
Project 4045, Next Generation Medium Logistics Ship,
ships in the Combat Logistics Force, and will
within Program Element (PE) 0603563N, Ship Concept
operate near contested environments, sustaining
Advanced Design, which is line 45 in the Navy’s FY2021
afloat (Surface Action Group) and ashore
research and development account.
(Expeditionary Advanced Base) requirements. The
Legislative Activity for FY2021
Navy believes that there are several types of
commercial vessels that may be able to perform
FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act
these missions (including, but not limited to:
Platform Supply Vessels, Fast Supply Vessels, or
The House Armed Services Committee, in its report
(H.Rept. 116-442 of July 9, 2020) on the FY2021 National
other types of Offshore Support Vessels). The Navy
Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 6395), recommended
is considering conversion of existing vessels, new
approving the Navy’s FY2021 funding request for the
construction, or a combination of conversions and
NGLS program (page 392).
new construction in order to acquire the required
number of Next Generation Logistics Ships.
The Senate Armed Services Committee, in its report
(Source: Department of the Navy, Naval Sea
(S.Rept. 116-236 of June 24, 2020) on the FY2021 National
Systems Command [NAVSEA], “Industry Day
Defense Authorization Act (S. 4049), stated that it “lacks
Announcement for the Next Generation Logistics
sufficient clarity on the capability requirements to support”
Ship (NGLS),” Beta.sam.gov, May 15 [updated
design efforts for certain new ships, including NGLS (pages
July 20], 2020.)
98-99), and recommended rejecting the Navy’s FY2021
request for the program (page 505).
There are various types of Platform Supply Vessels, Fast
Supply Vessels, and other Offshore Support Vessels, but in
The conference report (H.Rept. 116-617 of December XX,
general, such ships can be considerably smaller (and
2020) on H.R. 6395 recommends reducing by $10.0 million
therefore individually less expensive to procure) than the
the Navy’s FY2021 funding request for the program (PDF
Navy’s current CLF ships.
page 4324 of 4517).
Industry Day
FY2021 DOD Appropriations Act
The Navy held an industry day for the NGLS program on
The House Appropriations Committee, in its report
June 25, 2020, the purpose of which was to introduce the
(H.Rept. 116-453 of July 16, 2020) on the FY2021
program to potential industry participants and give them a
Department of Defense (DOD) Appropriations Act (H.R.
chance to ask initial questions about the program. Attendees
7617), recommended reducing by $10.0 million the Navy’s
included representatives from shipyards, ship-design firms,
FY2021 funding request for the program (page 266).
and component suppliers.
Section 8129 of H.R. 7617 as reported by the committee
states that none of the funds provided in the act for initial
Potential Procurement Quantity and Cost
acquisition activities for certain new Navy ships, including
The Navy has not yet determined how many NGLSs it
NGLS, “may be used to award a new contract for such
wants to procure. Press reports about the Navy’s new fleet
activities unless these contracts include specifications that
architecture have suggested that the Navy might want to
all hull, mechanical, and electrical components are
procure between 18 and 30. The procurement cost for an
manufactured in the United States.”
NGLS is to be substantially less than that of the larger
TAO-205 design, which is about $525 million.
The Senate Appropriations Committee, in the explanatory
statement that it released on November 10, 2020, for the
Program Schedule
FY2021 DOD Appropriations Act (S. XXXX),
Under a schedule shown in the Navy’s industry day
recommended approving the Navy’s FY2021 funding
briefing, contracts for NGLS industry studies would be
request for the program (page 186).
awarded in the third quarter of FY2021, the contract for
designing and constructing or converting the first NGLS
The explanatory statement for the final version of the
would be awarded in the second quarter of FY2023, and
FY2021 DOD appropriations act (Division C of the final
construction or conversion of additional NGLSs would
version of H.R. 133, the Consolidated Appropriations Act,
follow in FY2024 and subsequent years.
2021) reduced by $6.0 million the Navy’s FY2021 funding
request for the program, with the reduction for “excess to
FY2021 Funding Request
need” (PDF page 311 of 469).
As mentioned earlier, the Navy’s proposed FY2021 budget
requests $30.0 million in R&D funding for the program.
Ronald O'Rourke, Specialist in Naval Affairs
Most of this funding would be used for initial industry and
Navy studies on the ship. The funding is requested in
IF11674
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Navy Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) Program: Background and Issues for Congress
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