Electric Boat Corporation
Encyclopedia
The General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) is a division of General Dynamics Corporation
. It has been the primary builder of submarine
s for the United States Navy
for over 100 years.
The company's main facilities are a shipyard in Groton, Connecticut
and a hull-fabrication and outfitting facility in Quonset Point
, Rhode Island
.
as the Electric Boat Company to build John Philip Holland
's submersible designs, which were developed at Lewis Nixon
's Crescent Shipyard
, located in Elizabeth, New Jersey
. The first submarine that this shipyard built was (originally) named the Holland VI, later called . This was the first submarine to be purchased and commissioned into United States naval service on 11 April 1900. The success of Holland VI ushered in the demand for follow-up models (A-class or ) that began with the prototype submersible Fulton built at the same shipyard as Holland. Many foreign governments were interested in John Holland's latest submarine designs, and began purchasing the rights to build them under licensing contracts through the Electric Boat Company. These governments included Great Britain (Royal Navy
), Japan (Imperial Japanese Navy
), Russia (Imperial Russian Navy
), the Netherlands (Royal Netherlands Navy
), among other countries.
During World War I
, the company and its subsidiaries built 85 submarines and 722 submarine chaser
s for the US Navy. After the war, the Navy did not order another submarine from the company until Cuttlefish
in 1931. During World War II
, the company built 74 submarines.
The firm renamed itself General Dynamics Corporation in 1952, and when Convair
was acquired the next year, the holding company assumed the "General Dynamics" name, with the submarine building operation retaining 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, amongst others. Submarines of the Ohio-
, Los Angeles
-, Seawolf
- and Virginia
-class submarines were also constructed by Electric Boat.
In 2002, Electric Boat conducted preservation work on the world's first nuclear powered craft, USS Nautilus
, preparing her for her berth at the U.S. Navy Submarine Force Library and Museum in Groton, Connecticut
, where she now resides as a museum. Electric Boat's first submarine, the USS Holland
was scrapped for one hundred dollars in 1913.
Electric Boat is also in the business of performing overhaul and repair work on fast attack class boats. Electric Boat built the ballistic missile submarine
s and submarines as well as others. However, most of the work done in the shipyard is focused on construction of the .
General Dynamics
General Dynamics Corporation is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. Its headquarters are in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Falls Church area.The company has...
. It has been the primary builder of submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s for the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
for over 100 years.
The company's main facilities are a shipyard in Groton, Connecticut
Groton, Connecticut
Groton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census....
and a hull-fabrication and outfitting facility in Quonset Point
Quonset Point
Quonset Point, also known simply as Quonset, is a small peninsula in Narragansett Bay in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It is contained entirely within the town of North Kingstown. "Quonset" is a Native American word likely meaning "small long place".Quonset Point was the location of Naval Air...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
.
History
The company was founded in 1899 by Isaac RiceIsaac Rice
Isaac Leopold Rice was a U.S. inventor and a chess patron and author.- Biography :...
as the Electric Boat Company to build John Philip Holland
John Philip Holland
John Philip Holland was an Irish engineer who developed the first submarine to be formally commissioned by the U.S...
's submersible designs, which were developed at Lewis Nixon
Lewis Nixon (naval architect)
Lewis Nixon I was a naval architect, shipbuilding executive, public servant, and political activist. He designed the United States' first modern battleships, and supervised the construction of its first modern submarines, all before his 40th birthday. He was briefly the leader of Tammany Hall...
's Crescent Shipyard
Crescent Shipyard
Crescent Shipyard, located in Elizabeth, New Jersey, built a number of ships for the United States Navy and allied nations as well during their production run, which lasted about ten years while under the Crescent name and banner. Production of these ships began before the Spanish-American war and...
, located in Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
. The first submarine that this shipyard built was (originally) named the Holland VI, later called . This was the first submarine to be purchased and commissioned into United States naval service on 11 April 1900. The success of Holland VI ushered in the demand for follow-up models (A-class or ) that began with the prototype submersible Fulton built at the same shipyard as Holland. Many foreign governments were interested in John Holland's latest submarine designs, and began purchasing the rights to build them under licensing contracts through the Electric Boat Company. These governments included Great Britain (Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
), Japan (Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
), Russia (Imperial Russian Navy
Imperial Russian Navy
The Imperial Russian Navy refers to the Tsarist fleets prior to the February Revolution.-First Romanovs:Under Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich, construction of the first three-masted ship, actually built within Russia, was completed in 1636. It was built in Balakhna by Danish shipbuilders from Holstein...
), the Netherlands (Royal Netherlands Navy
Royal Netherlands Navy
The Koninklijke Marine is the navy of the Netherlands. In the mid-17th century the Dutch Navy was the most powerful navy in the world and it played an active role in the wars of the Dutch Republic and later those of the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
), among other countries.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the company and its subsidiaries built 85 submarines and 722 submarine chaser
Submarine chaser
A submarine chaser is a small and fast naval vessel specially intended for anti-submarine warfare. Although similar vessels were designed and used by many nations, this designation was most famously used by ships built by the United States of America...
s for the US Navy. After the war, the Navy did not order another submarine from the company until Cuttlefish
USS Cuttlefish (SS-171)
USS Cuttlefish , a Cachalot-class submarine and one of the "V-boats," was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the cuttlefish. Her keel was laid down by Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut. She was launched on 21 November 1933 sponsored by Mrs. B. S. Bullard, and...
in 1931. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the company built 74 submarines.
The firm renamed itself General Dynamics Corporation in 1952, and when Convair
Convair
Convair was an American aircraft manufacturing company which later expanded into rockets and spacecraft. The company was formed in 1943 by the merger of Vultee Aircraft and Consolidated Aircraft, and went on to produce a number of pioneering aircraft, such as the Convair B-36 bomber, and the F-102...
was acquired the next year, the holding company assumed the "General Dynamics" name, with the submarine building operation retaining the "Electric Boat" name.
Electric Boat built the first nuclear
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
submarine, , which was launched in January 1954, and the first ballistic missile submarine
Ballistic missile submarine
A ballistic missile submarine is a submarine equipped to launch ballistic missiles .-Description:Ballistic missile submarines are larger than any other type of submarine, in order to accommodate SLBMs such as the Russian R-29 or the American Trident...
, , in 1959, amongst others. Submarines of the Ohio-
Ohio class submarine
The Ohio class is a class of nuclear-powered submarines used by the United States Navy. The United States has 18 Ohio-class submarines:...
, Los Angeles
Los Angeles class submarine
The Los Angeles class, sometimes called the LA class or the 688 class, is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines that forms the backbone of the United States submarine fleet. With 43 submarines on active duty and 19 retired, the Los Angeles class is the most numerous nuclear powered...
-, Seawolf
Seawolf class submarine
The Seawolf class is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines in service with the United States Navy. The class was the intended successor to the , ordered at the end of the Cold War in 1989. At one time, an intended fleet of 29 submarines was to be built over a ten-year period, later...
- and Virginia
Virginia class submarine
The Virginia class is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines in service with the United States Navy. The submarines are designed for a broad spectrum of open-ocean and littoral missions...
-class submarines were also constructed by Electric Boat.
In 2002, Electric Boat conducted preservation work on the world's first nuclear powered craft, USS Nautilus
USS Nautilus (SSN-571)
USS Nautilus is the world's first operational nuclear-powered submarine. She was the first vessel to complete a submerged transit beneath the North Pole on August 3, 1958...
, preparing her for her berth at the U.S. Navy Submarine Force Library and Museum in Groton, Connecticut
Groton, Connecticut
Groton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census....
, where she now resides as a museum. Electric Boat's first submarine, the USS Holland
USS Holland (SS-1)
USS Holland was the United States Navy's first commissioned submarine, named for her Irish-American inventor, John Philip Holland, although not the first submarine of the US Navy, which was the 1862...
was scrapped for one hundred dollars in 1913.
Electric Boat is also in the business of performing overhaul and repair work on fast attack class boats. Electric Boat built the ballistic missile submarine
Ballistic missile submarine
A ballistic missile submarine is a submarine equipped to launch ballistic missiles .-Description:Ballistic missile submarines are larger than any other type of submarine, in order to accommodate SLBMs such as the Russian R-29 or the American Trident...
s and submarines as well as others. However, most of the work done in the shipyard is focused on construction of the .
Further reading
- The Defender: The Story of General Dynamics, by Roger Franklin. Published by Harper and Row 1986.
- Brotherhood of Arms: General Dynamics and The Business of Defending America, by Jacob Goodwin. Published 1985. Random House.
- The Legend of Electric Boat, Serving The Silent Service. Published by Write Stuff Syndicate, 1994 and 2007. Written by Jeffery L. Rodengen.
- International Directory of Company Histories Volume 86 under General Dynamics/Electric Boat Corporation, July 2007; pp. 136–139. Published by St James Press/Thomson Gale Group.
- Who Built Those Subs? Naval History Magazine, Oct. 1998 125th Anniversary issue, pp. 31–34. Written by Richard Knowles Morris PhD. Published by The United States Naval Institute, Annapolis, Md. Copyrighted 1998.
- The Klaxon, The U.S. Navy's official submarine force newsletter, April 1992. Published by the Nautilus Memorial Submarine Force Library and Museum in Groton/New London, CT.
- "The Ups and Downs of Electric Boat" John D. Alden, United States Naval Institute, Proceedings Magazine, July 1, 1999, p. 64.
- Running Critical: The Silent War, Rickover, and General Dynamics, by Patrick Tyler. Published by Harper & Row 1986.