GENERAL DYNAMICS ELECTRIC BOAT, LEADING SUB CONTRACTOR, FACING DELAYS


By bblouin
GROTON, Conn. (July 8, 2020) Secretary of the Navy Kenneth J. Braithwaite, right, tours General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Conn. Secretary Braithwaite visited five shipyard locations to view current work, tour facilities, and meet with shipbuilders​ to discuss industrial base economic wellness and workforce health,

General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) is a vital company for national security. As the leading submarine contractor for the U.S. Navy, General Dynamics Electric Boat calls the Constitution State home and has been producing vessels for Sailors for more than a century. Now, GDEB is facing pushback on some of its current production while also trying to overcome delays to future vessels. What’s at stake? Nuclear war, a capable naval fleet, and the lives of billions who call the Indo-Pacific region home. Suggested read: RIMPAC 2024 Will Continue the Largest Naval Exercise’s Storied Run

What Does General Dynamics Electric Boat Division Do?

Since 1899, General Dynamics Electric Boat has been a submarine-building juggernaut providing the U.S. Navy with the first of such vessels, the USS Holland. General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, CT delivers quality, unique subs that the U.S. Navy loves. There are several projects involving naval surface ships and commercial nuclear programs; however, creating submarines is at the heart of what GDEB does, including these historic vessels:

  • Columbia-class
  • Guided Missile Submarines (SSGNs)
  • Ohio-class
  • Los Angeles-class
  • Seawolf-class
  • Virginia-class

Related read: Operation ICEBERG: The Deadliest Battle In History

Connecticut's Sub Problem

Curtailing China’s influence in the Pacific continues to be a top priority for the U.S. Navy, which is why the decision to cut a submarine being manufactured by GDEB has Connecticut's congressional delegation alarmed. The Pentagon decided to cut a Virginia-class submarine from the fiscal year 2025 budget. A move some believe would be a threat to national security when vessels are already scarce. “If such a cut is actually enacted, it will remove one more attack submarine from a fleet that is already 17 submarines below the Navy’s long-stated requirement of 66,” said Congressman Joe Courtney, who is also a ranking member of the Seapower Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee. This cut comes as the Navy is asking for the vessels, but The Pentagon has worries about the realistic ability of shipbuilders to deliver them on time among industry delays. Keep in mind that Electric Boat and others are also pushing out Columbia-class subs that continue to face delays while being touted as the future of submarine warfare. Still, GDEB has increased productivity year-over-year through billions of dollars in investment, including hiring more workers. A combination of the overall shrinking trend since the Cold War and the bottlenecking lingering in the supply chain from COVID-19 plague efforts, making it hard to change minds in Washington. What hasn’t changed, however, is the need and the world conditions affecting the Pacific that will surely depend on General Dynamics Electric Boat to assist both today and tomorrow to maintain peace.

Columbia Class (SSBNs), General Dynamics Electric Boat, and the Future

Electric Boat serves as the primary contractor for all Navy nuclear-powered submarine programs, while General Dynamics NASSCO specializes in auxiliary and support ships, oil tankers, and dry cargo carriers. The Columbia-class submarines represent the future of U.S. naval warfare, but production delays have hindered their release. Now, the lead ship in the Columbia-class program faces a potential one-year delay due to supplier issues, jeopardizing the Navy's top acquisition program and creating a possible gap in the U.S. nuclear strategic deterrent. Because of a naming conflict, the lead ship is the USS District of Columbia (SSBN-826). It may now deliver in fiscal year 2028, causing a possible year delay to its original FY 2027 date. The primary challenge for the USS District of Columbia lies in the bow module under construction at Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia. Additionally, delays from Northrop Grumman in building steam turbines for the Navy further compound the program's setbacks. Under the Columbia program's teaming arrangement, Electric Boat constructed the central barrel of the submarine's hull and then combined it with bow and stern sections from Newport News. This method is also contributing to delays in construction. Newport News delivered the stern of the lead boat in January 2024. But, manufacturing delays in the turbines have caused further production blockages. Virginia-class submarines remain important for national security. However, the future of naval warfare and nuclear deterrence continue to be placed in the hands of the Columbia-class subs. At this time, how many delays may be resolved involving General Dynamic Electric Boat by producing fewer Virginia-class submarines is unclear. Read next: Operation Just Cause: Coups, Drugs, and Equality for Women


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