US Navy picks name for new John Lewis-class replenishment oiler ship

US Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro has announced that a future John Lewis-class replenishment oiler (T-AO) ship will be named USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg to honor the former Supreme Court Justice and women’s rights activist.

The name selection for the John Lewis-class replenishment oiler follows the naming convention of honoring people who have fought for civil and human rights.

Born in 1933, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a pioneering advocate for women’s rights turned Supreme Court Justice. Ginsburg made history as the second woman to serve on the US Supreme Court.

The future USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg (T-AO 212) will be the first US Navy ship to bear her name.

The future T-AO 212 is the eighth of the T-AO ships to be built for the US Navy. USNS John Lewis (T-AO 205), the US Navy’s lead ship of its new class of fleet replenishment oilers, completed initial builder’s trials last month.

T-AO ships are fleet oilers designed to transfer fuel to the navy’s operating carrier strike groups. The oilers have the ability to carry a load of 162,000 barrels of oil, maintain significant dry cargo capacity, aviation capability and a speed of 20 knots.

General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company designed the vessels with double hulls that protect against oil spills as well as strengthened cargo and ballast tanks.

The T-AO measures 226.1 meters in length with a full load displacement of 49,850 tons.