Many of you have recently watched a training video concerning VIRGINIA Class certification. So why was it important for you to learn about our certification process?
Our submarine certification process is structured to ensure “maximum reasonable assurance” that the material condition of the ship is satisfactory for the safe conduct of trials and operation. To provide this assurance, we rely on our workforce to comply with all material control and work processes. Our certification system (7G and 3G databases) relies on:
- Design/Engineering information to define material, work and testing requirements to support ship delivery in accordance with specification requirements
- Work instructions to translate the design/engineering information into sequenced, discrete work and test packages
- Performance of work and test in accordance with the detailed instructions and completion of the required Objective Quality Evidence (test data and signatures for work completion)
- Re-entry controls on and documentation of any work performed on a component or system after initial completion
- Identification of any issues or non-conformances in a timely manner
- Tying any issues or liabilities identified to the specific hulls affected
- Resolving any issues or liabilities in a manner that meets the technical requirements
Our certification is EB’s written guarantee that the material condition of the ship is in compliance with the authorized design and meets all requirements. This robust system of accountability starts with you. Everyone is responsible to ensure that we document all known material conditions immediately upon identification. To support the upcoming certification of USS Vermont (SSN 792), you may be asked by your supervisor whether you are aware of any emergent issues that may affect the material condition of the ship or component we are certifying.
Our certification process relies on your adherence to procedures. This starts with you; therefore, the training is to ensure we all:
- Know how our systems and processes work
- Operate within these processes
- Demonstrate formality and rigor in how we execute work, document and adjudicate liabilities
If you are unsure of whether or not an issue or liability is applicable to a hull before certification or have questions on the certification process, ask your supervisor.
The certification process also validates that we are in compliance with special emphasis program requirements (SUBSAFE, DSS-SOC and Fly-by-wire). Last week’s Groton WIB discussed the USS Grayback incident that resulted in the death of five Navy divers and spawned the DSS-SOC certification process. Every year, our SUBSAFE training reminds us of the loss of the USS Thresher; we listen silently as we hear the sounds of bulkheads and the hull collapsing and reflect on the lives that were lost with those sounds. From the Thresher tragedy, the SUBSAFE Program was born. The special emphasis processes are focused on ensuring that uncontrolled flooding does not occur, the ship can recover from a flooding casualty, ship control is maintained and DSS personnel can be recovered without injury if there is an accident. Proper execution and material compliance for work in these programs is critical.
We must ensure that the submarines that we send to sea are ready for safe conduct of trials and operations in an environment that would otherwise not sustain human life.
Larry Runkle, VA Program Director
2026 Veterans Day Observances
Join us on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, for Electric Boat’s annual Veterans Day observances, as we gather together to honor our service members past and present. There will be ceremonies held for first-, second- and third-shift employees in Groton and Quonset Point. 2026 Veterans Day commemorative pins will be available for those in attendance. If...Continue reading→
Introducing the Native Americans & Indigenous People of Electric Boat (NAIP) Employee Resource Group
Electric Boat (EB) Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) play a vital role in supporting our diverse workforce while contributing to the success of our business. Formed to raise awareness and celebrate different cultures, communities, and experiences, these employee‑led groups foster a stronger sense of unity and belonging. ERGs cultivate an inclusive environment where employees can connect,...Continue reading→
Rayha Report Ep. 30: 40-Year Dinner Celebrates EB’s Distinguished Shipbuilders
Electric Boat recently held the annual 40-Year Shipbuilder Dinner at the Mystic Marriott, honoring the newest class of Distinguished Shipbuilders for their contributions to EB and our nation’s defense. Watch the latest Rayha Report to hear from a few of these shipbuilders as they reflect on their career in conversation with EB President Mark Rayha....Continue reading→
EB Supports 45th Annual MLK Scholarship Awards
Electric Boat was proud to serve as a scholarship sponsor for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Trust Fund at its 45th Annual Scholarship Awards Dinner. More than 600 community members gathered to celebrate this year’s extraordinary cohort of 2026 MLK Scholars. These 13 outstanding students were recognized for their academic excellence, leadership, character,...Continue reading→
Building the Future: EB’s New Central Distribution Hub
In April, Electric Boat (EB) began construction on the new central distribution hub for its warehousing, shipping, and receiving operations at 45 Frontage Road in North Stonington, CT. Since then, the 480,000‑square‑foot next‑generation warehouse facility has quickly taken shape. All wall panels are now complete, and construction is ahead of schedule. The facility will celebrate...Continue reading→
Delivering the Future
Some imagine the future. We deliver it now.
State-of-the-Art Simulator Prepares District of Columbia Crew for its Mission
As construction of the District of Columbia (SSBN 826) continues apace in EB’s South Yard Assembly Building, the sailors who will soon be at the controls are spending hours in a dynamic, high-tech simulator learning the intricacies of operating the 21,000-ton, first-in-class boomer. The Columbia Ship Control Operator Trainer (CSCOT) is a replica of the...Continue reading→
Groundbreaking Ceremony Marks Start of USS Groton Sail Monument
Fifty years after the USS Groton (SSN‑694) first launched, dozens gathered outside the Groton Public Library Oct. 9 to celebrate the groundbreaking of the USS Groton Sail Monument. The $6.6 million project—three decades in the making—will honor the men and women who design, build, operate and maintain the Navy’s submarines, as well as the families...Continue reading→
A Celebration of Heart, Community and Victory
2026 American Heart Association Eastern Connecticut Heart Walk Recap Saturday, October 3, 2026 | UConn Avery Point The 2026 American Heart Association Eastern Connecticut Heart Walk at UConn Avery Point was nothing short of extraordinary. Under bright autumn skies, 26 incredible Electric Boat teams and 151 walkers came together with passion, purpose, and unstoppable energy...Continue reading→
Quonset Point Donation Will Help Keep Mystic Aquarium’s Belugas Cool
Juno, the Mystic Aquarium’s convivial, photo-bombing Beluga whale, will continue swimming in cool comfort thanks to an unlikely chain of events that began 40 miles east in an Electric Boat industrial building at Quonset Point. That’s where EB’s Russ Tatro and Chris Logan were going over plans with a vendor, Carrier Corp., to replace Building...Continue reading→
