NASSCO shipyard delivers 5th new fleet oiler, the USNS Lucy Stone

General Dynamics NASSCO has delivered the fifth John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oiler built at the shipyard in Barrio Logan.

The Navy accepted the USNS Lucy Stone on Dec. 16 following successful sea trials to test the readiness and capability of the ship and to validate requirements. 

Fleet replenishment oilers are designed to supply fuel to the Navy’s carrier strike groups while operating at sea. The oilers can carry 162,000 barrels of jet fuel, diesel fuel and lubricating oil, as well as a significant amount of dry cargo.

“The delivery of USNS Lucy Stone will provide our fleet with another oiler, enhancing our replenishment underway and direct fueling capabilities,” said John Lighthammer, program manager, auxiliary and special mission shipbuilding.

“This is a significant milestone as we bring our civilian mariners an additional ship equipped with the tools to support at-sea operations,” he said, referring to the civilian Military Sealift Command.

Four more oilers are under construction — the Sojourner Truth, Thurgood Marshall, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Harriet Tubman, and additional two are under contract. A total of 20 are planned.

Many of the ships are named for civil rights figures, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth came under fire in California when he changed the name of the second ship from the Harvey Milk, a San Francisco gay rights figure, to the Oscar V. Peterson, a Medal of Honor recipient.