On June 23, 2021, the German Parliament - Bundestag - approved a defense budget of approximately €50.3 billion for 2022, described as historic by Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. This approval has made it possible to proceed with numerous naval programs.
On July 17, the Bundeswehr Inspector General announced the procurement of the future Type 707 replenishment oilers for the German Navy. In 2018, Germany announced that the two existing Type 704 Rhön-class tankers will be decommissioned in 2025. The future vessels will be significantly more efficient than the previous ones, the Navy press office announced.
The keel for the future USNS John Lewis (T-AO 205), the US Navy's first John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oiler, was ceremonially laid at General Dynamics-National Steel and Shipbuilding Company May 13.
