About Us - Our History

Just Nine Years

General Dynamics Electric Boat’s record of success and national firsts lay the foundation for our future progress. The USS Nautilus was an embodiment of this success. The vessel entered service in 1954 as the first nuclear-powered submarine and was in service for more than 25 years. The concept of the nuclear-powered submarine was a vision of then Captain Hyman G. Rickover and was embraced by an industry and Navy team. The team went from concept to a prototype of the plant, to design and building of the ship, to sea trials, and then to the operational fleet in just nine years. This amazing feet of technological advances, hard work, decision making, and persistence has been honed into a unique competency at Electric Boat. It enables us to deliver ships that not only meet their mission requirements but also add unforeseen value – surviving collisions, saving sailors lives, and extending service life. Since that time, Electric Boat has continuously and repeatedly exceeded expectations, with programs like Ohio, Seawolf, and Virginia Design/Build.

Among the milestones achieved at Electric Boat

USS Holland - In 1900, Electric Boat delivered the Navy's first submarine, ushering in more than a century of U.S. undersea dominance.

Fleet Boats - Electric Boat launched 74 submarines from its shipyard in Groton, Conn., to support the U.S. Navy in World War II.

USS Nautilus - Electric Boat designed and constructed the first nuclear-powered warship, which put to sea in 1954, giving the U.S. a formidable advantage during the Cold War.

Ohio Class - The Ohio-class submarine has been hailed as one of the most successful defense acquisition programs ever.

Los Angeles Class - Electric Boat built 33 of the 62 Los Angeles-class submarines, the largest class ever constructed, and designed the revolutionary vertical-launch system integrated midway through production.

USS Virginia - The first warship designed on computers, and the first designed from the keel up to face the perils of a new century.

For more than a century, when the United States has faced a threat, Electric Boat's engineering and construction expertise has delivered the technology to respond.