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Updated March 23, 2023
Navy Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) Program:
Background and Issues for Congress
Introduction
would hop on and off islands in the Western Pacific to
The Navy’s Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS)
conduct “shoot-and-scoot” operations against adversary
program envisages procuring new medium-sized at-sea
ships. For more on DMO, EABO, and the Navy’s more
resupply ships for the Navy. The Navy’s proposed FY2024
distributed fleet architecture, see CRS Report RL32665,
budget requests $8.8 million in research and development
Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background
funding for the program. The Navy’s five-year (FY2024-
and Issues for Congress, by Ronald O'Rourke, and CRS
FY2028) shipbuilding plan programs the procurement of
Report R46374, Navy Light Amphibious Warship (LAW)
the first NGLS in FY2026 at a cost of $150.0 million, the
Program: Background and Issues for Congress, by Ronald
second in FY2027 at a cost of $156.0 million, and the third
O'Rourke.
in FY2028 at a cost of $159.0 million.
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, which are large CLF ships. TAO-205s
called underway replenishment (UNREP) ships, are
have a currently estimated procurement cost of more than
logistics ships that resupply the Navy’s combatant ships
$800 million per ship. For more on the TAO-205 program,
(e.g., aircraft carriers, surface combatants, and amphibious
see CRS Report R43546, Navy John Lewis (TAO-205)
ships) at sea, so that the combatant ships can continue
Class Oiler Shipbuilding Program: Background and Issues
operating at sea without having to return to port.
for Congress, by Ronald O'Rourke.
The Navy’s current CLF ships include oilers (TAOs), dry
Next-Generation Logistics Ship
cargo and ammunition ships (TAKEs), and fast combat
(NGLS) Program
support ships (TAOEs). In these designations, T means the
ship is operated by the Military Sealift Command (MSC)
Basic Concept for Ship
with a mostly civilian crew, A means auxiliary ship, O
The NGLS program, also known as the Next-Generation
means oiler, K means cargo, and E means ammunition (i.e.,
Medium Logistics Ship program, was initiated in the
explosives). (In some documents, TAO, TAKE, etc. are
Navy’s FY2021 budget submission. The program envisages
typed as T-AO, T-AKE, etc.) These CLF ships are large
building a new class of CLF ships (or a family of CLF ship
auxiliary ships.
designs) that would be smaller and individually less
expensive to procure than the Navy’s current CLF ships.
Anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities aim to create a
Figure 1 shows a sketch of a Navy notional NGLS design
defended area around a country that in time of conflict
concept.
would be a “no-go zone” for opposing military forces.
Operational concepts are general approaches for how to use
Figure 1. Navy Notional NGLS Design Concept
military forces for achieving certain objectives. Fleet
architecture refers to the types and mix of ships that make
up a navy.
New Fleet Architecture and
Operational Concepts
To more effectively counter the improving A2/AD
Source: U.S. Navy information paper, June 14, 2022, received by
capabilities of China in particular, the Navy wants to begin
CRS from Navy Office of Legislative Affairs, June 16, 2022. The Navy
shifting to a new, more distributed fleet architecture that is
states that the rendering “was developed by the Navy as an
intended to support a new Navy and Marine Corps
il ustration of the indicative design that supports the refuel, rearm
operational concept for countering adversary A2/AD forces,
and resupply missions currently contemplated by the NGLS program.
called Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO), and an
This il ustration does not represent the final NGLS design.”
associated new Marine Corps operational concept called
Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO).
Like the Navy’s current CLF ships, NGLSs would be
operated by MSC with mostly civilian crews. The Navy’s
DMO aims at avoiding a situation in which an adversary
FY2023 30-year (FY2023-FY2052) shipbuilding plan
could defeat U.S. naval forces by concentrating its attacks
refers to the NGLS as a TAOL (also typed as T-AOL),
on a relatively small number of large, high-value U.S. Navy
meaning an MSC-operated light (i.e., small) oiler. The
ships. Under EABO, relatively small Marine Corps units
Navy states that
armed with anti-ship cruise missiles and other weapons
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Navy Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) Program: Background and Issues for Congress
The Next Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) is
Potential Procurement Cost
planned to be a new class of ships to augment the
The Navy’s five-year (FY2024-FY2028) shipbuilding plan
traditional Combat Logistics Force (CLF) to enable
programs the procurement of the first NGLS in FY2026 at a
refueling, rearming, and resupply of Naval assets -
cost of $150.0 million, the second in FY2027 at a cost of
afloat and ashore - near contested environments via
$156.0 million, and the third in FY2028 at a cost of $159.0
ship-to-ship operations and ship-to port operations
million.
in support of Distributed Maritime Operations
Industry Day
(DMO), Littoral Operations in a Contested
Environment
(LOCE),
and
Expeditionary
The Navy held an industry day for the NGLS program on
June 25, 2020, the purpose of which was to introduce the
Advanced Base Operations (EABO). Augmenting
program to potential industry participants and give them a
the traditional CLF, NGLS will provide a flexible,
chance to ask initial questions about the program. Attendees
responsive platform to move fuel, personnel,
included representatives from shipyards, ship-design firms,
equipment, and supplies between ships, advanced
and component suppliers.
bases, ports, and dispersed nodes of the seabase;
sustaining afloat (Surface Action Group) and ashore
Industry Studies
(Expeditionary Advanced Base) requirements.
A January 6, 2022, press report stated that the Navy on
(Source: Department of Defense, Fiscal Year (FY)
December 17, 2021, awarded contracts to Austal USA of
2024
Budget
Estimates,
Navy,
Research,
Mobile, AL; Bollinger Shipyards of Lockport, LA; and TAI
Development, Test & Evaluation, Navy [account],
Engineers, with main offices in New Orleans, LA, for
industry studies for the NGLS program. The contracts
Justification Book Volume 2 of 5, March 2023,
reportedly have a base value of $2 million each, with Austal
page 421.)
USA’s contract having a potential value of up to $3.65
A February 1, 2022, report from Inside Defense stated that a
million, Bollinger’s up to $4.1 million, and TAI Engineers’
Navy spokesman said that the NGLS will potentially be a
up to $3.46 million. The Navy will use studies, which are to
family of vessels rather than a single class of ships. The
last 24 months, to inform its understanding of cost-
Navy’s Fleet Readiness and Logistics office (known as the
capability trade-offs for the NGLS.
N4 division within the Office of the Chief of Naval
Operations, or OPNAV) approved the top-level
Program Schedule
requirements (i.e., major required features) for the NGLS in
As mentioned earlier, the Navy’s five year (FY2024-
March 2020. The top-level requirements envision NGLSs
FY2028) shipbuilding plan programs the procurement of
being built in two variants: a Platform Supply Vessel (PSV)
the first NGLS for FY2026. The Navy’s FY2024 budget
variant and a Fast Supply Vessel (FSV) variant. The two
submission states that the Navy wants to award the Detail
variants would perform the same missions, but the FSV
Design and Construction (DD&C) contract for the program
variant would be smaller and faster than the PSV variant.
in FY2026.
The Navy states that commercial PSVs and FSVs are
potential design solutions for the NGLS program, but that
FY2024 Funding Request and
the Navy is not limiting the potential solution to those types
Congressional Action
of vessels.
The Navy’s proposed FY2024 budget requests $8.8 million
in research and development funding for the NGLS
Potential Procurement Quantity
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. The Navy’s FY2023 30-year (FY2023-
Ship Concept Advanced Design, which is line 45 in the
FY2052) shipbuilding plan, submitted on April 20, 2022,
Navy’s FY2024 research and development account.
includes a table with figures for the potential future total
number of CLF ships suggesting that the Navy might want
Ronald O'Rourke, Specialist in Naval Affairs
to procure at least a dozen or so NGLSs, and perhaps twice
or more than twice that number.
IF11674
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Navy Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) Program: Background and Issues for Congress
Disclaimer
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