As the season changes to fall, the focus in the sports world begins to change. Major League Baseball playoffs have begun, and once again the Red Sox and the Yankees are playing for post-season supremacy and a chance to get to the World Series. College football is in full swing and the games are getting more meaningful as the “warm-up games” are out of the way and the conference games begin. At the same time, the NHL season just started and the Bruins, and 30 other teams, have high hopes to reach the Stanley Cup playoffs.
At Electric Boat, we are changing focus as well. We recently delivered USS South Dakota (SSN 790), the last EB-delivered, Virginia-class, Block III boat. As you have no doubt read in recent news stories, the EB effort to deliver USS South Dakota was outstanding and the quality built into the ship showed in her performance at sea. So the EB Virginia Block III build ended with a playoff win.
In the last few weeks, we have marked the official construction start at Quonset Point for USS Utah (SSN 801), the last Virginia-class Block IV boat. EB will deliver 6 of the 10 Block IV boats; the first to be delivered is USS Vermont (SSN 792). In various stages of construction in Groton are sections of USS Oregon (SSN 793), USS Rickover (SSN 795), USS Iowa (SSN 797) and USS Idaho (SSN 799). It will not be long before sections of USS Utah start showing up for assembly. So the Block IV season is in full swing, and we are entering the toughest part of our schedule. And as we approach christening for USS Vermont next week, the EB drive to deliver Block IV boats becomes more meaningful.
In the design and engineering spaces and at Quonset Point, a new season is already underway. Virginia Block V, including a lengthened hull to incorporate four new payload tubes to enhance strike capability, is taking shape. Some early construction is underway, material is being procured and design details are being finalized. As this season starts, we have every reason to believe that EB will have another great season for Virginia Block V.
Larry Runkle
Director, Virginia Construction Program
