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Navy Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) Program:
Background and Issues for Congress
Introduction
armed with anti-ship cruise missiles and other weapons
The Navy’s Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS)
would hop on and off islands in the Western Pacific to
program envisages procuring a new class of medium-sized
conduct “shoot-and-scoot” operations against adversary
at-sea resupply ships for the Navy. The Navy’s proposed
ships. For more on DMO, EABO, and the Navy’s more
FY2022 budget requests $27.8 million in research and
distributed fleet architecture, see CRS Report RL32665,
development funding for the program. The issue for
Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background
Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the
and Issues for Congress, by Ronald O'Rourke, and CRS
Navy’s proposed funding requests and emerging acquisition
Report R46374, Navy Light Amphibious Warship (LAW)
strategy for the NGLS program. Congress’s decisions on
Program: Background and Issues for Congress, by Ronald
this issue could affect Navy capabilities and funding
O'Rourke.
requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base.
Logistics Ships Currently Being Procured
Terminology
The Navy is currently procuring new John Lewis (TAO-
The Navy’s Combat Logistics Force (CLF) ships, also
205) class oilers (Figure 1), which are large CLF ships . For
called underway replenishment (UNREP) ships, are
more on the TAO-205 program, see CRS Report R43546,
logistics ships that resupply the Navy’s combatant ships
Navy John Lewis (TAO-205) Class Oiler Shipbuilding
(e.g., aircraft carries, surface combatants, and amphibious
Program: Background and Issues for Congress, by Ronald
ships) at sea, so that the combatant ships can continue
O'Rourke.
operating without having to return to port. The Navy’s
current CLF ships include oilers (TAOs), dry cargo and
Figure 1. John Lewis (TAO-205) Class Oiler
ammunition ships (TAKEs), and fast combat support ships
Artist’s rendering
(TAOEs). In these designations, T means the ship is
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
Source: General Dynamics/National Steel and Shipbuilding Company
-go zone” for opposing military forces.
(GD/NASSCO) of San Diego, CA, the builder of TAO-205s.
Operational concepts are general approaches for how to use
military forces for achieving certain objectives. Fleet
Next-Generation Logistics Ship
architecture refers to the types and mix of ships that make
(NGLS) Program
up a navy.
New Fleet Architecture and
Basic Concept for Ship
Operational Concepts
The NGLS program, also known as the Next-Generation
Medium Logistics Ship program, was initiated in the
To more effectively counter the improving A2/AD
Navy’s FY2021 budget submission. The program envisages
capabilities of China in particular, the Navy wants to begin
building a new class of CLF ships that would be smaller
shifting to a new, more distributed fleet architecture that is
and individually less expensive to procure than the Navy’s
to include a reduced proportion of larger ships and an
current CLF ships. Like the Navy’s current CLF ships,
increased proportion of smaller ships. This more distributed
NGLSs would be operated by MSC with mostly civilian
fleet architecture is intended to support a new Navy and
crews. The Navy states that
Marine Corps operational concept for countering adversary
A2/AD forces, called Distributed Maritime Operations
The Next Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) is
(DMO), and an associated new Marine Corps operational
planned to be a new class of ships to augment the
concept called Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations
current Combat Logistics Force ships, through the
(EABO).
use of commercial ship designs tailored for military
DMO aims at avoiding a situation in which an adversary
applications to conduct logistics missions. The
could defeat U.S. naval forces by concentrating its attacks
NGLS will enable refueling, rearming, and resupply
on a relatively small number of large, high-value U.S. Navy
of Naval assets—afloat and ashore—in support of
ships. Under EABO, relatively small Marine Corps units
Distributed
Maritime
Operations,
Littoral
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Navy Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) Program: Background and Issues for Congress
Operations
Contested
Environment,
and
Industry Day
Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations. The
The Navy held an industry day for the NGLS program on
NGLS is envisioned to be smaller than existing
June 25, 2020, the purpose of which was to introduce the
ships in the Combat Logistics Force, and will
program to potential industry participants and give them a
operate near contested environments, sustaining
chance to ask initial questions about the program. Attendees
afloat (Surface Action Group) and ashore
included representatives from shipyards, ship-design firms,
(Expeditionary Advanced Base) requirements.
and component suppliers.
NGLS is potentially a family of vessels with
commercial
designs tailored
for
military
Program Schedule
applications. RDT&E [research, development, test,
The Navy plans to award multiple contracts for industry
studies on the NGLS that are to help inform the Navy’s
and evaluation] funding will continue to support
process for setting performance requirements for the NGLS.
requirements trade-off studies, development of
The industry studies are scheduled to commence in the
indicative [i.e., notional] designs, specification
second quarter of FY2021. Under a schedule shown in the
development,
and
demonstrations
of
Navy’s industry day briefing, the contract for designing and
experimentation and proof-of-concepts focused on
constructing or converting the first NGLS would be
the Refuel, Resupply, and Rearm logistics missions.
awarded in the second quarter of FY2023. The December 9,
(Source: Department of Defense, Fiscal Year (FY)
2020, shipbuilding document submitted by the Trump
2022 Budget Estimates, Navy, Research,
Administration showed the first six NGLs being procured in
Development, Test & Evaluation, Navy [account],
FY2023-FY2026 in annual quantities of 1-1-2-2.
Justification Book Volume 2 of 5, May 2021, page
FY2022 Funding Request
452.)
The Navy’s proposed FY2022 budget requests $27.8
Potential Procurement Quantity
million in research and development funding for the
program in Project 4045 (Next Generation Medium
The Navy has not yet determined how many NGLSs it
Logistics Ship) within Program Element (PE) 0603563N,
wants to procure. Press reports about the Navy’s new fleet
Ship Concept Advanced Design, which is line 46 in the
architecture have suggested that the Navy might want to
Navy’s FY2022 research and development account.
procure between 18 and 30.
Legislative Activity for FY2022
Potential Procurement Cost
The Navy’s proposed FY2022 budget was submitted to
The procurement cost for an NGLS is to be substantially
Congress on May 28, 2021.
less than that of the TAO-205 design, which is about $670
million per ship when procured at a rate of one per year. A
December 9, 2020, shipbuilding document submitted by the
Ronald O'Rourke, Specialist in Naval Affairs
Trump Administration showed an NGLS procurement cost
IF11674
of $150 million per ship.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Navy Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) Program: Bac kground and Issues for Congress
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
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