Dave McCall, Director of Test
June 28, 2018
Other than the upcoming alpha sea trials on the South Dakota (SSN 790), this is my favorite time in a ship’s construction. We are at the point where we as shipbuilders put a bow on our product, the Navy accepts her for in-service, and she is married to her crew. The staging is gone, the VPT house is off, and the South Dakota looks like a warship.
But the other thing that makes this one of my favorite periods in ship construction is observing how the waterfront team rallies for the end game. There is no problem that can’t be fixed “today,” material that can’t be “found,” or an individual shipbuilder not willing to give the extra time and effort required to make it happen. Why is this? It’s leadership up and down the hierarchy of the waterfront team. And what does it take to achieve this level of leadership in the end game? Ten minutes.
It is the ten extra minutes spent at turnover making sure everyone understands what’s being passed between shifts and what’s expected to be accomplished on the back shifts.
It is the ten extra minutes the first-line supervisor spends with his crew making sure they understand the jobs they are being assigned, and that they have all the correct material, paper and tooling to succeed.
It is the ten extra minutes the deck-plate shipbuilder spends providing feedback to his foreman, sharing his experience and making sure he understands the scope of his assignment.
It is the ten extra minutes Engineering spends with the shipbuilder to understand the problem so that the deck plates get the correct direction quickly.
It is the ten extra minutes spent to make sure the job gets done.
And finally, it is the ten extra minutes the team spends planning to make sure the chosen path ahead is the most efficient and that team buy in is achieved.
This is how Electric Boat Shipbuilders deliver ships. But what if we did this every day, not just in the end game? How many weeks could we take out of our schedules? How many critical jobs could go from seven days a week to five? And most importantly, how quickly can we get the warships to the Navy that the nation needs? The difference between average and exceptional leadership is only ten minutes. We are not average shipbuilders, we are the best in the world—we can afford the ten extra minutes to be even better.
Rayha Report Ep. 20: 2026 EB Signing Days
Electric Boat held recent Signing Day ceremonies at Cranston West High School on May 21 and the Garde Arts Center in New London on May 28. EB President Mark Rayha spoke with students about their decision to join EB and educators who prepare their students for careers in shipbuilding. Click here to see the latest installment of the Rayha...Continue reading→
Save the Date: CT Health Fairs Kick Off June 9
A Message From Dan Vieira and Kathleen Heller At EB, Safety and Wellness go far beyond meeting basic compliance standards. Our focus is on building a culture where employees can thrive in every aspect of their lives. Prioritizing wellbeing is vital to being our best on the job and at home with our families. ...Continue reading→
Supporting Our Neighbors Impacted by The Ledges Apartments Fire
Early Sunday morning, a devastating fire occurred at The Ledges Apartments in Groton. Eighteen fire departments, including Electric Boat’s, responded. Thanks to the heroism of these first responders no residents were injured. The fire did, however, displace more than approximately 50 residents and destroyed or damaged 44 units in the building. Several EB employees were...Continue reading→
Pride Month Celebrations at Electric Boat
June 1st marks the start of Pride Month, a time for millions of LGBTQ+ individuals and allies around the world to come together in celebration and reflection. From film festivals and art shows, to marches and concerts, Pride is a vibrant tribute to LGBTQ+ culture, history and the relentless spirit of activism. It’s a chance...Continue reading→
Celebrating Our Next Generation of Shipbuilders
The Next Generation of Shipbuilders Takes the Stage Over the past two weeks, Electric Boat welcomed the next generation of shipbuilders at our Rhode Island and Connecticut Signing Day celebrations, marking the beginning of a journey that will help shape the future of our company and our nation’s defense. Held at Cranston High School West...Continue reading→
Update: Gold Star Bridge Project – Upcoming Traffic Impacts
CT DOT is preparing to enter the next major phase of the Gold Star Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project, and employees should expect new traffic patterns that may affect travel to and from EB’s Groton and New London facilities. A crossover will direct two northbound lanes onto the southbound bridge, as shown in this CT DOT...Continue reading→
PCU Utah Floats Off
PCU Utah (SSN 801) floated off the pontoon in Graving Dock #3 on Sunday, May 17, her hull seeing water for the first time. Huge congratulations to every Electric Boat shipbuilder whose hard work and dedication brought Utah to this major milestone!
Pathways to the Deep Officially Opens at Mystic Aquarium
On Monday, May 11th, we officially cut the ribbon on Pathways to the Deep, a brand-new interactive exhibit at Mystic Aquarium that connects ocean science, technology, exploration and careers through hands-on learning and discovery. This collaborative effort between General Dynamics Electric Boat, Mystic Aquarium, the Submarine Industrial Base and Build Submarines was created to spark curiosity and...Continue reading→
Electric Boat featured in ADC’s ‘Homefront’ Video Series
General Dynamics Electric Boat is featured in the latest episode of the Association of Defense Communities’ (ADC) Homefront video series, which examines military communities across the country. The episode highlights Electric Boat’s long-standing partnership with the U.S. Navy, the generations of shipbuilders who power our mission and the opportunities ahead for the next wave of...Continue reading→
Rayha Report Ep. 19: Operations Leadership Hiring Initiative
In his latest Rayha Report, EB President Mark Rayha speaks with Chief of Talent Acquisition Meredith Kyle on the ways the company is boosting operations leadership hiring. Joining them is Konrad Wennberg and Mike Simmons, who provide insight on their internal moves from engineering to operations supervisor positions.
