October 1, 2019
Dear Shipbuilders:
I am excited to re-join the men and women of Electric Boat. Over the course of our 120-year history, the EB team established a reputation for delivering the highest quality and most innovative submarine technology in the world. Our submarines provided our nation with a competitive advantage for over more than a century and will continue to be a critical part of our nation’s defense for many years to come.
This is an exciting time for our company. Our build rate of two Virginia-class submarines a year, and the opportunity to build at an even higher rate, underscores the importance of our work. Our backlog of ships is historic, and I expect to deliver good news soon with the award of a Block V contract.
We are working hard on the design and construction of lead units of the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine program. Columbia, a program of 12 ships, is expected to begin construction in earnest in about a year and will add to an already impressive backlog. To ensure Columbia’s success, General Dynamics and the Navy are investing more than $2 billion in our facilities in Quonset Point and Groton. These facilities will ensure we have the capacity and capability to build submarines efficiently.
We continue to hire and train thousands of new shipbuilders to support this growth. These jobs are vital to our regional economy. We are partnered throughout New England with universities, vocational schools, community colleges, and high schools to recruit and train this next generation of shipbuilders. This is meaningful work that develops important skills, and provides each of us with an opportunity for not just a job, but a career in shipbuilding.
This growth is not without its challenges. Our shipbuilding team—including our Navy, Electric Boat, Newport News, and our suppliers—must simply do better. Our efforts require world-class teamwork. Teamwork is built on trust and alignment toward a common purpose—designing, building and delivering the world’s best submarines. To succeed, we must scale our operations from our current pace while maintaining an unrelenting focus on safety, uncompromising quality, and affordability.
Recently, Electric Boat restated our core values: Value Each Other, Behave with Integrity and Purpose, and Commit to Excellence. While I fully endorse and am committed to these core values, I am accountable to you for ensuring these values are reinforced as part of our EB culture. As I transition into my new role, I, along with the senior leadership team, will work to demonstrate these values on a regular basis. I ask each of you to reflect on and personally commit to each of these values.
I look forward to meeting you as we work together to achieve an exciting future!
Kevin Graney
President
