USNS Harriet Tubman (T-AO-213) will be a planned to be operated by the Military Sealift Command to logistically support the United States Navy. She was laid down in 2026 and is named after antislavery activist Harriet Tubman.
History Like the rest of her sister ships, the John Lewis class is intended to replace the older s and is heavily based on the former's design. As replenishment oilers, the vessels are operated by Military Sealift Command to transport fuel and cargo to warships at sea to extend their range and capabilities.
Initially designated only by the hull number T-AO-213, the vessel was ordered in 2022 from the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) alongside Thurgood Marshall (T-AO-211) and Ruth Bader Ginsburg (T-AO-212). The three vessels formed the second batch of oilers ordered from the shipyard. The ship was named after abolitionist and activist Harriet Tubman on 17 September 2023, which was the anniversary of her successful escape from slavery in 1849.
Her keel was laid down in June 2026; in the same month, a brief fire occurred onboard which required more than 80 firefighters to extinguish. No one was injured, and the shipyard stated that the damage was "minimal" and primarily affected workout equipment.
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