E-STREAM Prototype Project

The Navy is advancing its at-sea refueling capabilities through the development of a proof-of-concept Improved Mobile Fuel Delivery System (iMFDS) designed to be rapidly installed on commercial tankers during short port calls without requiring permanent modifications or welding. True Bear Engineering LLC has been engaged to design, build, and validate dual probe ramless electronic standard tensioned replenishment alongside method (E-STREAM) machinery and controls that integrate seamlessly with the iMFDS prototype. This system adheres strictly to the Navy’s established STREAM methodology outlined in NTTP 4-01.4 and is engineered to transfer fuel efficiently to both large ships like carriers and amphibs, as well as smaller combatants such as destroyers and cruisers, ensuring operational flexibility across the fleet. The system will include all necessary fuel lines, tensioning components, connection interfaces, and support equipment required for safe and reliable operations in challenging maritime conditions. The prototype will be constructed to rigorous military standards to endure the extreme environments encountered during both pier-side handling and underway replenishment at sea, directly addressing critical refueling shortfalls that threaten the Navy’s ability to sustain distributed maritime operations. Without this enhancement, current combat logistics force (CLF) capacities will be insufficient to meet growing demand, limiting naval reach and operational endurance. The final deliverable is a fully functional iMFDS prototype capable of scalable deployment, enabling the Navy to rapidly augment its refueling capacity using existing commercial shipping assets. The contract, titled E-STREAM Prototype Project under solicitation W900KK269A034, is managed by the Department of Defense’s Office in Orlando, Florida, with performance taking place in Iron Mountain, Michigan, and overseen by point of contact Jessica Wasser.