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Navy Light Replenishment Oiler (TAOL) (Previously 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 Light Replenishment Oiler (TAOL) program,
conduct “shoot-and-scoot” operations against adversary
previously called the Next-Generation Logistics Ship
ships. For more on DMO, EABO, and the Navy’s more
(NGLS) program, envisages procuring a new class of
distributed fleet architecture, see CRS Report RL32665,
smaller at-sea resupply ships for the Navy. The Navy’s
Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background
proposed FY2024 budget requests $8.8 million in research
and Issues for Congress, by Ronald O'Rourke, and CRS
and development funding for the program. The Navy’s five-
Report R46374, Navy Medium Landing Ship (LSM)
year (FY2024-FY2028) shipbuilding plan programs the
(Previously Light Amphibious Warship [LAW]) Program:
procurement of the first TAOL in FY2026 at a cost of
Background and Issues for Congress, by Ronald O'Rourke.
$150.0 million, the second in FY2027 at a cost of $156.0
million, and the third in FY2028 at a cost of $159.0 million.
Logistics Ships Currently Being Procured
The Navy is currently procuring new John Lewis (TAO-
Terminology
205) class oilers, which are large CLF ships. TAO-205s
The Navy’s Combat Logistics Force (CLF) ships, also
have a currently estimated procurement cost of more than
called underway replenishment (UNREP) ships, are
$800 million per ship. For more on the TAO-205 program,
logistics ships that resupply the Navy’s combatant ships
see CRS Report R43546, Navy John Lewis (TAO-205)
(e.g., aircraft carriers, surface combatants, and amphibious
Class Oiler Shipbuilding Program: Background and Issues
ships) at sea, so that the combatant ships can continue
for Congress, by Ronald O'Rourke.
operating at sea without having to return to port.
TAOL Program
The Navy’s current CLF ships include oilers (TAOs), dry
cargo and ammunition ships (TAKEs), and fast combat
Basic Concept for Ship
support ships (TAOEs). In these designations, T means the
The TAOL program (referred to in some documents as the
ship is operated by the Military Sealift Command (MSC)
NGLS program) was initiated in the Navy’s FY2021 budget
with a mostly civilian crew, A means auxiliary ship, O
submission. The program envisages building a new class of
means oiler, K means cargo, and E means ammunition (i.e.,
CLF ships (or a family of CLF ship designs) that would be
explosives). (TAO, TAKE, etc. are also typed as T-AO, T-
smaller and individually less expensive to procure than the
AKE, etc.) These CLF ships are large auxiliary ships. In the
Navy’s current CLF ships. Figure 1 shows a sketch of a
designation TAOL (also typed as T-AOL), the L means
Navy notional TAOL design concept.
light, meaning a smaller version of such a ship. TAOL thus
means an oiler that is smaller than a full-sized oiler.
Figure 1. Navy Notional TAOL Design Concept
New Fleet Architecture and
Operational Concepts
To more effectively counter the improving A2/AD
capabilities (i.e., capabilities that aim to create a defended
area around a country that in time of conflict would be a
“no-go zone” for opposing military forces) of China in
Source: U.S. Navy information paper, June 14, 2022, received by
particular, the Navy wants to begin shifting to a new, more
CRS from Navy Office of Legislative Affairs, June 16, 2022. The Navy
distributed fleet architecture (i.e., mix of ships) 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 (i.e., a general approach for using
and resupply missions currently contemplated by the NGLS program.
forces) called Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO), and
This il ustration does not represent the final NGLS design.”
an associated new Marine Corps operational concept called
Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO).
The Navy states that the TAOL
is planned to be a new class of ships to augment the
DMO aims at avoiding a situation in which an adversary
traditional Combat Logistics Force (CLF) to enable
could defeat U.S. naval forces by concentrating its attacks
refueling, rearming, and resupply of Naval assets—
on a relatively small number of large, high-value U.S. Navy
afloat and ashore—near contested environments via
ships. Under EABO, relatively small Marine Corps units
ship-to-ship operations and ship-to port operations
armed with anti-ship cruise missiles and other weapons
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Navy Light Replenishment Oiler (TAOL) (Previously Next-Generation Logistics Ship [NGLS]) Program: Background and
Issues for Congress
in support of Distributed Maritime Operations
program to potential industry participants and give them a
(DMO), Littoral Operations in a Contested
chance to ask initial questions about the program. Attendees
Environment
(LOCE),
and
Expeditionary
included representatives from shipyards, ship-design firms,
Advanced Base Operations (EABO). Augmenting
and component suppliers.
the traditional CLF, NGLS will provide a flexible,
responsive platform to move fuel, personnel,
Industry Studies
equipment, and supplies between ships, advanced
A January 6, 2022, press report stated that the Navy on
bases, ports, and dispersed nodes of the seabase;
December 17, 2021, awarded contracts to Austal USA of
Mobile, AL; Bollinger Shipyards of Lockport, LA; and TAI
sustaining afloat (Surface Action Group) and ashore
Engineers, with main offices in New Orleans, LA, for
(Expeditionary Advanced Base) requirements.
industry studies for the TAOL program. The contracts
(Source: Department of Defense, Fiscal Year (FY)
reportedly have a base value of $2 million each, with Austal
2024
Budget
Estimates,
Navy,
Research,
USA’s contract having a potential value of up to $3.65
Development, Test & Evaluation, Navy [account],
million, Bollinger’s up to $4.1 million, and TAI Engineers’
Justification Book Volume 2 of 5, March 2023,
up to $3.46 million. The Navy will use studies, which are to
page 421.)
last 24 months, to inform its understanding of cost-
capability trade-offs for the TAOL.
A February 1, 2022, report from Inside Defense stated that a
Navy spokesman said that the TAOL will potentially be a
Program Schedule
family of vessels rather than a single class of ships. The
As mentioned earlier, the Navy’s five year (FY2024-
Navy’s Fleet Readiness and Logistics office (known as the
FY2028) shipbuilding plan programs the procurement of
N4 division within the Office of the Chief of Naval
the first TAOL for FY2026. The Navy’s FY2024 budget
Operations, or OPNAV) approved the top-level
submission states that the Navy wants to award the Detail
requirements (i.e., major required features) for the TAOL in
Design and Construction (DD&C) contract for the program
March 2020. The top-level requirements envision TAOLs
in FY2026.
being built in two variants: a Platform Supply Vessel (PSV)
variant and a Fast Supply Vessel (FSV) variant. The two
FY2024 Funding Request and
variants would perform the same missions, but the FSV
Congressional Action
variant would be smaller and faster than the PSV variant.
The Navy’s proposed FY2024 budget requests $8.8 million
The Navy states that commercial PSVs and FSVs are
in research and development funding for the TAOL
potential design solutions for the TAOL program, but that
program in Project 4045 (Next Generation Medium
the Navy is not limiting the potential solution to those types
Logistics Ship) within Program Element (PE) 0603563N,
of vessels.
Ship Concept Advanced Design, which is line 45 in the
Navy’s FY2024 research and development account.
Potential Procurement Quantity
The Navy has not yet determined how many TAOLs it
The conference report (H.Rept. 118-301 of December 6,
wants to procure. The Navy’s FY2023 30-year (FY2023-
2023) on the FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act
FY2052) shipbuilding plan, submitted on April 20, 2022,
(NDAA) (H.R. 2670) recommends approving the Navy’s
includes a table with figures for the potential future total
FY2024 funding request for the TAOL program in Project
number of CLF ships suggesting that the Navy might want
4045 of PE 0603563N.
to procure at least a dozen or so TAOLs, and perhaps twice
or more than twice that number.
The House and Senate Appropriations Committees, in their
reports on the FY2024 DOD Appropriations Act (H.R.
Potential Procurement Cost
4365/S. 2587), both recommended approving the Navy’s
The Navy’s five-year (FY2024-FY2028) shipbuilding plan
FY2024 funding request for the TAOL program in Project
programs the procurement of the first TAOL in FY2026 at a
4045 of PE 0603563N.
cost of $150.0 million, the second in FY2027 at a cost of
$156.0 million, and the third in FY2028 at a cost of $159.0
Ronald O'Rourke, Specialist in Naval Affairs
million.
IF11674
Industry Day
The Navy held an industry day for the TAOL program on
June 25, 2020, the purpose of which was to introduce the
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Navy Light Replenishment Oiler (TAOL) (Previously Next-Generation Logistics Ship [NGLS]) Program: Background and
Issues for Congress
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11674 · VERSION 39 · UPDATED