General Dynamics Electric Boat


General Dynamics Electric Boat is a subsidiary of General Dynamics Corporation. It has been the primary builder of submarines for the United States Navy for more than 100 years. The company's main facilities are a shipyard in Groton, Connecticut, a hull-fabrication and outfitting facility in Quonset Point, Rhode Island, and a design and engineering facility in New London, Connecticut.

History

The company was founded in 1899 by Isaac Rice as the Electric Boat Company to build John Philip Holland's submersible ship designs, which were developed at Lewis Nixon's Crescent Shipyard in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Holland VI was the first submarine that this shipyard built, which became when it was commissioned into the United States Navy on April 11, 1900—the first submarine to be officially commissioned. The success of Holland VI created a demand for follow-up models that began with the prototype submersible Fulton built at Electric Boat. Some foreign navies were interested in John Holland's latest submarine designs, and so purchased the rights to build them under licensing contracts through EB; these included the United Kingdom's Royal Navy, the Imperial Japanese Navy, the Imperial Russian Navy, and the Royal Netherlands Navy.
From 1907 to 1925 EB designed submarines for the Navy and subcontracted their construction to the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts. During this era, EB built submarines of the B, C, D, E, K, L, M, R and S classes.
During the World War I era, the company and its subsidiaries built 85 submarines via subcontractors and 722 submarine chasers for the US Navy, and 580 80-foot motor launches for the British Royal Navy.

Interwar

After the war, the US Navy did not order another submarine from Electric Boat until in 1931. Cuttlefish was the first submarine built at EB's plant in Groton, Connecticut which has ever since been its primary submarine manufacturing facility. EB was the lead yard for several classes of submarines prior to World War II.
Starting in the early 1930s, EB was one of only two major submarine manufacturers until the late 1950s. Three other yards produced submarines only during World War II.

World War II

During World War II, the company built 74 submarines, while Elco built nearly 400 PT boats, and Electric Boat ranked 77th among United States corporations in the value of World War II military production contracts.

Post war

In 1952, Electric Boat was reorganized as General Dynamics Corporation under John Jay Hopkins. General Dynamics acquired Convair the following year, and the holding company assumed the "General Dynamics" name while the submarine-building operation reverted to the "Electric Boat" name.
Electric Boat built the first nuclear submarine which was launched in January 1954, and the first ballistic missile submarine in 1959. Submarines of the,,, and es were also constructed by Electric Boat. In 2002, EB conducted preservation work on Nautilus, preparing her for her berth at the US Navy Submarine Force Library and Museum in Groton, Connecticut where she now resides as a museum. Electric Boat's first submarine Holland was scrapped in 1932.
From the mid-1970s to the present, EB has been one of only two submarine manufacturers in the United States with the other being Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia.
Electric Boat overhauls and undertakes repair work on fast attack class boats. The company built the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines and Seawolf-class submarines, as well as others. In April 2014, EB was awarded a $17.8 billion contract with Naval Sea Systems Command for ten Block IV Virginia-class attack submarines. It is the largest single shipbuilding contract in the service's history. The company builds the submarine along with Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding. The boats of Block IV Virginias will cost less than Block III, as Electric Boat reduced the cost of the submarines by increasing efficiency in the construction process. The submarines of this type will build on the improvements to allow the boats to spend less time in the yard. In 2019 EB received a contract with Naval Sea Systems command to begin procuring materials for the Block V variant of the Virginia-Class. This upgrade brings the Virginia payload module, which enables Tomahawk missiles to be carried by the submarine.

1980s structural welding defect cover up

In the early 1980s, structural welding defects had been covered up by falsified inspection records, and this led to significant delays and expenses in the delivery of several submarines being built at Electric Boat's shipyard. In some cases, the repairs resulted in practically dismantling and then rebuilding what had been a nearly completed submarine. The yard tried to pass the vast cost overruns directly on to the Navy, while Admiral Hyman G. Rickover demanded from Electric Boat's general manager P. Takis Veliotis that the yard make good on its "shoddy" workmanship.
The Navy eventually settled with General Dynamics in 1981, paying out $634 million of $843 million in Los Angeles-class submarines cost-overrun and reconstruction claims. As it happened, the Navy was also the yard's insurer, liable to compensate the company for losses and other mishaps. The concept of reimbursing General Dynamics under these conditions was initially considered "preposterous," in the words of Secretary of the Navy John Lehman, but the eventual legal basis of General Dynamics' reimbursement claims to the Navy for the company's poor workmanship included insurance compensation. Veliotis was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury under racketeering and fraud charges in 1983 for demanding $1.3 million in kickbacks from a subcontractor. He escaped into exile and a life of luxury in his native Greece, where he remained a fugitive from U.S. justice.

Ships built

''Cachalot'' class

NameHull numberTypeCommissionedStatus
SS-171diesel-electric8 June 1934Sold for breaking up, 12 February 1947

''Porpoise'' class

NameHull numberTypeCommissionedStatus
SS-174diesel-electric25 January 1936Probably sunk by Japanese destroyer east of Manado, 11 February 1942
SS-175diesel-electric12 March 1936Sold for breaking up, 8 June 1957; foundered off Cape Hatteras, 26 August 1957
SS-176diesel-electric19 November 1936Scuttled in the Java Sea on 3 March 1942 after being damaged by Japanese destroyers
SS-177diesel-electric26 January 1937Sunk by Japanese vessels north of Honshū on 3 April 1943
SS-178diesel-electric17 March 1937Sold for scrap on 28 June 1958

''Salmon'' class

NameHull numberTypeCommissionedStatus
SS-182composite diesel-hydraulic and diesel-electric15 March 1938Constructive loss due to battle damage; broken up for scrap, 1946
SS-183composite diesel-hydraulic and diesel-electric30 April 1938Sold for scrap, 6 May 1957
SS-184composite diesel-hydraulic and diesel-electric30 June 1938Sunk in Operation Crossroads atomic bomb test, 25 July 1946; raised 2 September 1946; sunk as a target off southern California, 11 August 1948

''Sargo'' class

NameHull numberTypeCommissionedStatus
SS-188composite diesel-hydraulic and diesel-electric7 February 1939Sold for scrap, 19 May 1947
SS-189composite diesel-hydraulic and diesel-electric3 April 1939Sold for scrap, 19 May 1947
SS-190composite diesel-hydraulic and diesel-electric19 July 1939Sold for scrap, 19 May 1947
SS-194diesel-electric23 October 1939Sold for scrap, 2 July 1948
SS-195diesel-electric27 November 1939Scuttled at Cavite on 25 December 1941 after being damaged by Japanese aircraft on 10 December 1941

''Tambor'' class

NameHull numberTypeCommissionedStatus
SS-198diesel-electric3 June 1940Sold for scrap, 5 December 1959
SS-199diesel-electric3 July 1940Sold for scrap, 1 July 1960
SS-200diesel-electric27 August 1940Sold for scrap, 18 March 1948
SS-206diesel-electric14 April 1941Sold for scrap, 11 December 1959
SS-207diesel-electric23 May 1941Possibly sunk by Japanese destroyers in Blackett Strait, 5 March 1943
SS-208diesel-electric30 June 1941Sunk by Japanese aircraft south of Okinawa, 27 February 1944

''Mackerel'' class

NameHull numberTypeCommissionedStatus
SS-204diesel-electric31 March 1941Sold for scrap, 24 April 1947

''Gato'' class

NameHull numberTypeCommissionedStatus
SS-212diesel-electric31 December 1941Sold for scrap, 25 July 1960
SS-213diesel-electric21 January 1942Sold for scrap, 21 June 1960
SS-214diesel-electric12 February 1942Sold for scrap, 11 August 1970
SS-215diesel-electric20 March 1942Sunk by Japanese vessels west of the Philippines, 8 November 1944
SS-216diesel-electric11 April 1942Sunk off of Kiska around 30 July 1942, cause unknown
SS-217diesel-electric8 May 1942Sunk as a target off Block Island, 10 October 1961
SS-218diesel-electric1 June 1942Probably mined off of northern Hokkaidō, 7 November 1944
SS-219diesel-electric19 June 1942Sunk by and SC-18 off Rabaul, 16 February 1943
SS-220diesel-electric8 July 1942Transferred to Italy on 13 December 1954
SS-221diesel-electric22 July 1942Sold for scrap on 4 May 1959
SS-222diesel-electric24 May 1943Sold for scrap, 8 June 1960
SS-223diesel-electric31 May 1943Sunk by Japanese vessels in Toyama Wan, Honshū, 18 June 1945
SS-224diesel-electric21 June 1943Museum ship at Cleveland, Ohio since 25 January 1975
SS-225diesel-electric4 July 1943Sold for scrap, October 1970
SS-226diesel-electric6 August 1943Sunk by Japanese submarine I-176 south of Truk Lagoon, 16 November 1943
SS-227diesel-electric7 September 1943Grounded in the Palawan Strait and scuttled on 24 October 1944
SS-240diesel-electric1 October 1943Sold for scrap, 1 February 1974
SS-241diesel-electric25 October 1943Sold for scrap, 1 July 1972
SS-242diesel-electric11 November 1943Scuttled as a trainer off Hawaii, 3 December 1970
SS-243diesel-electric24 January 1944Sunk as a target off California, 7 November 1969
SS-244diesel-electric29 February 1944Museum ship at Galveston, Texas as of 21 January 1971
SS-245diesel-electric29 March 1944Memorial at Manitowoc, Wisconsin, 17 August 1970
SS-246diesel-electric21 April 1944Museum ship at Groton, Connecticut on 27 June 1976
SS-247diesel-electric23 July 1943Converted to GUPPY IB and transferred to Italy, 31 January 1955
SS-248diesel-electric28 August 1943Sunk, off Panama on 12 October 1943
SS-249diesel-electric25 September 1943Sold for scrap 8 June 1963, conning tower is a memorial at Groton, Connecticut
SS-250diesel-electric18 October 1943Mined in the Balabac Strait, 13 August 1944
SS-251diesel-electric29 November 1943Decommissioned 2 February 1960
SS-252diesel-electric28 December 1943Sold for scrap, 11 January 1960
SS-253diesel-electric20 August 1942Sold for scrap, December 1959
SS-254diesel-electric18 September 1942Sold for scrap, 29 October 1961
SS-255diesel-electric9 October 1942Sold for scrap, 4 May 1959
SS-256diesel-electric30 October 1942Sold for scrap, 5 December 1972
SS-257diesel-electric2 December 1942-
SS-258diesel-electric16 December 1942Sold for scrap, 10 September 1960
SS-259diesel-electric6 January 1943Transferred to Greece, 21 April 1958
SS-260diesel-electric23 January 1943Transferred to Greece, 10 August 1957
SS-261diesel-electric12 February 1943Transferred to Japan unmodified, 15 August 1955
SS-262diesel-electric15 March 1943Transferred to Brazil unmodified, 18 January 1957
SS-263diesel-electric29 March 1943Transferred to Brazil unmodified, 18 January 1957
SS-264diesel-electric26 April 1943Sold for scrap, 16 May 1961

''Balao'' class

NameHull numberTypeCommissionedStatus
SS-313diesel-electric7 January 1944Sold for scrap, 15 January 1973
SharkSS-314diesel-electric14 February 1944Sunk by Harukaze 24 October 1944.
SealionSS-315diesel-electric8 March 1944Sunk as target 8 July 1978.
BarbelSS-316diesel-electric3 April 1944Sunk by Japanese aircraft 4 February 1945.
BarberoSS-317diesel-electric29 April 1944Sunk as target 7 October 1964.
BayaSS-318diesel-electric20 May 1944Sold for scrap, 12 October 1973.
BecunaSS-319diesel-electric27 May 1944Museum ship at Philadelphia, 21 June 1976.
BergallSS-320diesel-electric12 June 1944Transferred to Turkey 18 October 1958, sold to Turkey 15 February 1973.
BesugoSS-321diesel-electric19 June 1944Transferred to Italy, 31 May 1966. Returned for scrapping, 20 June 1977.
BlackfinSS-322diesel-electric4 July 1944Sunk as target 13 May 1973.
CaimanSS-323diesel-electric17 July 1944Transferred to Turkey, 30 June 1972.
BlennySS-324diesel-electric27 June 1944Scuttled off Ocean City, Maryland, 7 June 1989.
BlowerSS-325diesel-electric10 August 1944Transferred to Turkey, 16 November 1950.
BluebackSS-326diesel-electric28 August 1944Transferred to Turkey, 2 May 1948.
BoarfishSS-327diesel-electric28 August 1944Transferred to Turkey, 23 May 1948. Returned for scrapping, 1 January 1974.
CharrSS-328diesel-electric23 September 1944Sold for scrap, 17 August 1972.
ChubSS-329diesel-electric21 October 1944Transferred to Turkey, 25 May 1948. Ultimately returned to US custody and scrapped.
BrillSS-330diesel-electric26 October 1944Transferred to Turkey, 25 May 1948.
BugaraSS-331diesel-electric15 November 1944Foundered while under tow, 1 June 1971.
BullheadSS-332diesel-electric4 December 1944Sunk by Japanese aircraft, 6 August 1945.
CabezonSS-334diesel-electric30 December 1944Sold for scrap, 28 December 1971.
DentudaSS-335diesel-electric30 December 1944Sold for scrap, 12 February 1969.
CapitaineSS-336diesel-electric26 January 1945Transferred to Italy, 5 March 1966. Sold to Italy 5 December 1977 and disposed of.
CarboneroSS-337diesel-electric7 February 1945Sunk as a target off Pearl Harbor, 27 April 1975.
CarpSS-338diesel-electric28 February 1945Sold for scrap, 26 July 1973.
CatfishSS-339diesel-electric19 March 1945Transferred to Argentina, 1 July 1971.
EntemedorSS-340diesel-electric6 April 1945Transferred to Turkey on 31 July 1972; sold to Turkey on 1 August 1973.
ChivoSS-341diesel-electric28 April 1945Transferred to Argentina, 1 July 1971.
ChopperSS-342diesel-electric25 May 1945Sank off Cape Hatteras, 21 July 1976, while being rigged as a tethered underwater target.
ClamagoreSS-343diesel-electric28 June 1945Museum in Charleston SC.
CobblerSS-344diesel-electric8 August 1945Transferred to Turkey, 21 November 1973.
CochinoSS-345diesel-electric25 August 1945Sunk by battery explosion and fire off Norway, August 26, 1949.
CorporalSS-346diesel-electric9 November 1945Transferred to Turkey, 21 November 1973.
CuberaSS-347diesel-electric19 December 1945Transferred to Venezuela, 5 January 1972.
CuskSS-348diesel-electric5 February 1946Sold for scrap, 26 June 1972.
DiodonSS-349diesel-electric18 March 1946Sold for scrap, 12 May 1972.
DogfishSS-350diesel-electric29 April 1946Sold to Brazil, 28 July 1972.
GreenfishSS-351diesel-electric7 June 1946Transferred to Brazil, 19 December 1973.
HalfbeakSS-352diesel-electric22 July 1946Sold for scrap, 13 June 1972.

''Tench'' class

NameHull numberTypeCommissionedStatus
CorsairSS-435diesel-electric8 November 1946Sold for scrap, 8 November 1963.

''Barracuda'' class

NameHull numberTypeCommissionedStatus
BarracudaSSK-1diesel-electric10 November 1951Sold for scrap, 21 March, 1974.

''Tang'' class

NameHull numberTypeCommissionedStatus
TriggerSS-564diesel-electric31 March 1952Transferred to Italy on 10 July 1973.
TroutSS-566diesel-electric27 June 1952Transferred to Iran 19 December 1978; Scrapped 27 February 2009.
HarderSS-568diesel-electric19 August 1952Sold to Italy, 1974.

''Nautilus'' class

''T-1'' class

''Seawolf'' class

''Darter'' class

''Skate'' class

NameHull numberTypeCommissionedStatus
SkateSSN-578nuclear-electric23 December 1957Disposed of by submarine recycling 6 March 1995.

''Skipjack'' class

NameHull numberTypeCommissionedStatus
SkipjackSSN-585nuclear-electric15 April 1959Disposed of by submarine recycling 1 September 1998.
ScorpionSSN-589nuclear-electric29 July 1960Lost with a crew of 99 on 22 May 1968; cause of sinking unknown.

''Triton'' class

NameHull numberTypeCommissionedStatus
TritonSSRN-586nuclear-electric10 November 1959Disposed of by submarine recycling 30 November 2009.

''Thresher/Permit'' class

NameHull numberTypeCommissionedStatus
FlasherSSN-613nuclear-electric22 July 1966Disposed of by submarine recycling 11 May 1994.
GreenlingSSN-614nuclear-electric3 November 1967Disposed of by submarine recycling 30 September 1994.
GatoSSN-615nuclear-electric25 January 1968Disposed of by submarine recycling.

''Lafayette'' class

NameHull numberTypeCommissionedStatus
LafayetteSSBN-616nuclear-electric23 April 1963Disposed of by submarine recycling 25 February 1992.
Alexander HamiltonSSBN-617nuclear-electric27 June 1963Disposed of by submarine recycling 28 February 1994.
Nathan HaleSSBN-623nuclear-electric12 November 1963Disposed of by submarine recycling 5 April 1994.
Daniel WebsterSSBN-626nuclear-electric9 April 1964Became moored training ship MTS-626.

''James Madison'' class

NameHull numberTypeCommissionedStatus
TecumsehSSBN-628nuclear-electric29 May 1964Disposed of by submarine recycling 1 April 1994.
Ulysses S. GrantSSBN-631nuclear-electric17 July 1964Disposed of by submarine recycling 23 October 1993.
Casimir PulaskiSSBN-633nuclear-electric14 August 1964Disposed of by submarine recycling 21 October 1994.

''Sturgeon'' class

NameHull numberTypeCommissionedStatus
SturgeonSSN-637nuclear-electric3 March 1967Disposed of by submarine recycling 11 December 1995.
PargoSSN-650nuclear-electric5 January 1968Disposed of by submarine recycling 15 October 1996.
BergallSSN-667nuclear-electric13 June 1969Disposed of by submarine recycling 29 September 1997.
SeahorseSSN-669nuclear-electric19 September 1969Disposed of by submarine recycling 30 September 1996.
Flying FishSSN-673nuclear-electric29 April 1970Disposed of by submarine recycling 16 October 1996.
TrepangSSN-674nuclear-electric14 August 1970Disposed of by submarine recycling 17 April 2000.
BluefishSSN-675nuclear-electric8 January 1971Disposed of by submarine recycling 1 November 2003.
BillfishSSN-676nuclear-electric12 March 1971Disposed of by submarine recycling 26 April 2000.
ArcherfishSSN-678nuclear-electric17 December 1971Disposed of by submarine recycling 6 November 1998.
SilversidesSSN-679nuclear-electric5 May 1972Disposed of by submarine recycling 1 October 2001.
BatfishSSN-681nuclear-electric1 September 1972Disposed of by submarine recycling 22 November 2002.

''Los Angeles'' class

NameHull numberTypeCommissionedStatus
PhiladelphiaSSN-690nuclear-electric25 June 1977Stricken, to be disposed of by submarine recycling.
OmahaSSN-692nuclear-electric11 March 1978Disposed of by submarine recycling.
GrotonSSN-694nuclear-electric8 July 1978Disposed of by submarine recycling.
New York CitySSN-696nuclear-electric3 March 1979Stricken, to be disposed of by submarine recycling.
IndianapolisSSN-697nuclear-electric5 January 1980Stricken, to be disposed of by submarine recycling.
BremertonSSN-698nuclear-electric28 March 1981Active, scheduled to be decommissioned in 2019.
JacksonvilleSSN-699nuclear-electric16 May 1981Inactive, scheduled to be decommissioned in 2018.
DallasSSN-700nuclear-electric18 July 1981Stricken, to be disposed of by submarine recycling.
La JollaSSN-701nuclear-electric24 October 1981Conversion to moored training ship commenced in 2015,
to be completed by the end of 2018.
PhoenixSSN-702nuclear-electric19 December 1981Disposed of by submarine recycling.
BostonSSN-703nuclear-electric30 January 1982Disposed of by submarine recycling.
BaltimoreSSN-704nuclear-electric24 July 1982Stricken, to be disposed of by submarine recycling.
City of Corpus ChristiSSN-705nuclear-electric8 January 1983Stricken, undergoing nuclear deactivation
AlbuquerqueSSN-706nuclear-electric21 May 1983Stricken, to be disposed of by submarine recycling.
PortsmouthSSN-707nuclear-electric1 October 1983Stricken, to be disposed of by submarine recycling.
Minneapolis-Saint PaulSSN-708nuclear-electric10 March 1984Stricken, to be disposed of by submarine recycling.
Hyman G. RickoverSSN-709nuclear-electric21 July 1984Stricken, to be disposed of by submarine recycling.
AugustaSSN-710nuclear-electric19 January 1985Stricken, to be disposed of by submarine recycling.
ProvidenceSSN-719nuclear-electric27 July 1985Active, scheduled to be decommissioned in 2019.
PittsburghSSN-720nuclear-electric23 November 1985Active, scheduled to be decommissioned in 2019.
LouisvilleSSN-724nuclear-electric8 November 1986Active in service.
HelenaSSN-725nuclear-electric11 July 1987Active in service.
San JuanSSN-751nuclear-electric6 August 1988Active in service.
PasadenaSSN-752nuclear-electric11 February 1989Active in service.
TopekaSSN-754nuclear-electric21 October 1989Active in service.
MiamiSSN-755nuclear-electric30 June 1990Stricken, to be disposed of by submarine recycling.
AlexandriaSSN-757nuclear-electric29 June 1991Active in service.
AnnapolisSSN-760nuclear-electric11 April 1992Active in service.
SpringfieldSSN-761nuclear-electric9 January 1993Active in service.
ColumbusSSN-762nuclear-electric24 July 1993Active in service.
Santa FeSSN-763nuclear-electric8 January 1994Active in service.
HartfordSSN-768nuclear-electric10 December 1994Active in service.
ColumbiaSSN-771nuclear-electric9 October 1995Active in service.

''Ohio'' class

NameHull numberTypeCommissionedStatus
OhioSSGN-726nuclear-electric11 November 1981In service, converted to a guided missile submarine.
MichiganSSGN-727nuclear-electric11 September 1982In service, converted to a guided missile submarine.
FloridaSSGN-728nuclear-electric18 June 1983In service, converted to a guided missile submarine.
GeorgiaSSGN-729nuclear-electric11 February 1984In service, converted to a guided missile submarine.
Henry M. JacksonSSBN-730nuclear-electric16 October 1984Active in service.
AlabamaSSBN-731nuclear-electric25 May 1985Active in service.
AlaskaSSBN-732nuclear-electric25 January 1986Active in service.
NevadaSSBN-733nuclear-electric16 August 1986Active in service.
TennesseeSSBN-734nuclear-electric17 December 1988Active in service.
PennsylvaniaSSBN-735nuclear-electric9 September 1989Active in service.
West VirginiaSSBN-736nuclear-electric20 October 1990Active in service.
KentuckySSBN-737nuclear-electric13 July 1991Active in service.

''Seawolf'' class

NameHull numberTypeCommissionedStatus
SeawolfSSN-21nuclear-electric19 July 1997Active in service.
ConnecticutSSN-22nuclear-electric11 December 1998Active in service.
Jimmy CarterSSN-23nuclear-electric19 February 2005Active in service.

''Virginia'' class

NameHull numberTypeCommissionedStatus
VirginiaSSN-774nuclear-electric23 October 2004Active in service.
HawaiiSSN-776nuclear-electric5 May 2007Active in service.
New HampshireSSN-778nuclear-electric25 October 2008Active in service.
MissouriSSN-780nuclear-electric31 July 2010Active in service.
MississippiSSN-782nuclear-electric2 June 2012Active in service.
North DakotaSSN-784nuclear-electric25 October 2014Active in service.
IllinoisSSN-786nuclear-electric29 October 2016Active in service.
ColoradoSSN-788nuclear-electric17 March 2018Active in service.
South DakotaSSN-790nuclear-electric2 February 2019Active in service.