Next Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS)
Small Auxiliary Logistics Platform (SALP)

The US Navy is moving ahead with plans for a Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) and a Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) as it looks at ways of helping to transport marines in highly contested waters if war breaks out with China. Both projects tie into the Force Design 2030 strategy.

Every year the services put together a list of items it really want but couldn’t fit into its budget request. For fiscal 2021, the Navy said it wanted but didn’t get $12 million a small logistics ship proof of concept. Navy is in the process of defining requirements for a Small Auxiliary Logistics Platform (SALP) to supportDistributed Maritime Operations (DMO). This request funds the lease of an additional offshore support vessel(OSV) to support PACFLT/USFF exercises and demonstrations to evaluate potential solutions for Refuel, Resupply, and Rearm logistics mission requirements.

The Navy established the Intra-Theater Small Auxiliary Logistics Platform Task Force in support of the Integrated Naval Force Structure Assessment (INFSA), to evaluate next-generation medium platform solutions for logistics mission requirements in support of Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) and Littoral Operations in Contested Environment (LOCE). This includes a family of vessels with commercial designs tailored for military applications. FY 2021 funds support concept evaluation, ship configuration development, and industry studies focused primarily on the Refuel, Resupply, and Rearm logistics missions. Efforts include requirements development, systems engineering, naval architecture and marine engineering, and operations research analysis. The Next Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) will enable refueling, rearming, and resupply of Naval assets – afloat and ashore – in support of Distributed Maritime Operations, Littoral Operations Contested Environment, and Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations. The NGLS is envisioned to be smaller than existing ships in the Combat Logistics Force, and will operate near contested environments, sustaining afloat (Surface Action Group) and ashore (Expeditionary Advanced Base) requirements.

The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), on behalf of the Support Ships, Boats, and Craft Program Office (PMS325), conducted general market research under RFI N00024-20-R-2201R1 Posted 04 August 2020, seeking information from all potential sources who may be interested in supplying ships and ship designs for a new series of Next Generation Logistics Ships. The Navy envisions the Next Generation Logistics Ships as a family of vessels to rearm, refuel, and resupply afloat and ashore units near contested environments. The Next Generation Logistics Ships would augment the current Combat Logistics Force (CLF) ships through the use of commercial vessel designs tailored for military applications to conduct logistics missions in support of Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO), Littoral Operations Contested Environment (LOCE), and Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO).

The Navy believes that there are several types of commercial vessels that may be able to perform these missions including, but not limited to: Platform Supply Vessels, Fast Supply Vessels, or other types of Offshore Support Vessels. While the Navy is considering conversion of existing vessels, new construction, or a combination of conversions and new construction in order to acquire the required number of Next Generation Logistics Ships, this request is for information regarding existing ship designs that could be modified and used for new construction. For the purpose of this request, the Navy is only interested in new construction vessel designs; information on conversions, charters or other arrangements are not requested at this time.

The Navy’s preference regarding new construction ships is to acquire vessels based on proven and mature ship designs that can be modified to meet the attached characteristics lists, but the Navy will consider information on purpose-built “clean-sheet” design concepts. Cost of the vessels is of primary importance to the Navy, so Companies are requested to provide information concerning price of the vessels.

The Navy is interested in the seakeeping ability and performance of the vessel in conducting operations in station-keeping mode and underway. If available, provide dynamic positioning capability plots, seakeeping analyses or predictions, or information on intended or typical operational environments such as polar charts, safe operating envelopes, or Master’s observations.

In particular, the Navy is interested in conducting underway replenishment at speeds at 13 knots or greater in conditions up to and including Sea State 5. Discuss the feasibility, impacts, and any practical limitations to modify the vessel design to achieve higher speed and the ability to conduct underway replenishment in Sea State 5 at a speed above 13 knots.

This is a Request for Information (RFI) notice only. This RFI is for informational planning purposes and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government for any actual procurement of materials, machinery, or services. This notice does not constitute a solicitation or a promise of a solicitation in the future. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. Respondents are advised that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI are solely at the responding parties’ expense. Respondents are solely responsible for properly marking and clearly identifying any proprietary information or trade secrets contained within their response.

Medium Logistics Ship

The Medium Logistics Ship “will be a platform support vessel to support theater lift requirements,” the FY2021 Navy document explained. The next generation medium logistics ship will be a Platform Support Vessel to support theater lift requirements.

The FY ’21 budget document also explained the new logistics vessel effort comes in the wake of the Navy establishing an Intra-Theater Auxiliary Logistics Platform Task Force to evaluate the next generation medium platform solutions for logistics mission requirements that also support LOCE and DMO. “This includes a family of vessels with commercial designs tailored for military applications,” the documents said. The $30 million in FY ’21 will specifically “support concept evaluation, ship configuration development, and industry studies focused primarily on the Refuel, Resupply, and Rearm logistics missions. Efforts include requirements development, systems engineering, naval architecture and marine engineering, and operations research analysis.”

The Navy said this non-acquisition program will be one “that designs, develops, and tests the Integrated Naval Force Structure Assessment, to evaluate next generation medium platform solutions for logistics mission requirements in support of Distributed Maritime Operations and Littoral Operations in Contested Environment.”