Navy TAO(X) Oiler Shipbuilding Program: Background and Issues for Congress
Abstract
The TAO(X) oiler shipbuilding program is a program to build a new class of 17 fleet oilers for the Navy. The primary role of Navy fleet oilers is to transfer fuel to Navy surface ships that are operating at sea, so as to extend the operating endurance of these surface ships and their embarked aircraft. The Navy wants to procure the first TAO(X) in FY2016.The Navys proposed FY2016 budget requests $674.2 million to fully fund the procurement of the first TAO(X). The Navy is requesting this funding in its regular shipbuilding account (the Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy, or SCN, account), rather than in the National Defense Sealift Fund (NDSF), a separate account in the Department of Defense (DOD) budget where DOD sealift ships and Navy auxiliary ships have been funded. It was reported in January and February 2015 that the Navy, as part of its acquisition strategy for the TAO(X) program, wants to issue a combined solicitation consisting of separate Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for the detailed design and construction of the first six TAO(X)s, the detailed design and construction of an amphibious assault ship called LHA-8 that the Navy wants to procure in FY2017, and contract design support for the LX(R) program, a program to procure a new class of 11 amphibious ships. It was also reported that the Navy wants to limit bidding in this combined solicitation to two bidders-Ingalls Shipbuilding of Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII/Ingalls) and National Steel and Shipbuilding Company of General Dynamics (GD/NASSCO)-on the grounds that these are the only two shipbuilders that have the capability to build both TAO(X)s and LHA-8.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 17, 2015
- Accession Number
- AD1000792
Entities
People
- Ronald O'Rourke
Organizations
- Congressional Research Service