On January 30, I led an EB team who met with Naval Reactors (NR) to discuss the progress we’ve made on improving our discipline to standards in the execution of work. As you recall, following the NAVSEA Audit A-finding of last June, EB’s Core Values Project Team gathered feedback from a cross-section of employees to better understand the causes of our declining discipline to performance standards. The team worked with senior leadership to develop and articulate our Core Values: Value Each Other, Behave with Integrity and Purpose and Commit to Excellence. The team next identified six lines of effort – safety, operational excellence, risk assessment/critical thinking, facilities, workforce engagement and development and continuous learning – to put our values into action, guiding our behaviors and improving our performance.
The employees who traveled with me to NR represented a cross-section of our company, demonstrating that we are aligned from senior leadership through to our Operations supervisors and, more importantly, that our actions in the above six areas are having a positive effect. Our goal was to have an open and honest discussion, and we accomplished that. Overall, the meeting was positive. While we shared some of our successes with NR, we also shared our challenges and areas of focus.
Two areas I personally highlighted were our efforts on Safety and Operational Excellence. We are making progress in safety training and earlier this month began OSHA 30-hour training for all members of the Operations Management team. We also described our efforts to establish a peer-to-peer approach to safety across the entire EB team. Our efforts to increase work order attainment and changes put in place – such as our new Operations Work List (OWL) tool – give our production supervisors less of an administrative burden and more time to work with their crews.
While NR acknowledged our progress, they highlighted three areas where we need to do more: document and learn more from “near misses” related to safety, continue to solve issues related to radiography testing safety, and further apply the Navy Nuclear Propulsion Program Principles, aka the “Rickover Principles,” as our foundation for achieving discipline to standards across our workforce. While we have much more work to do, I was proud to represent all of you at NR and to show how we are working to get better every day.
Last month, I provided you with an update on SSN 792 PCU Vermont’s certification status and discussed how we all contribute to the certification of a ship. As of today, the 792 will be certified in the coming days, with fast cruise to follow and sea trials commencing soon after. This has been a difficult process for EB and NNS. We are spending considerable effort investigating our certification process and have self-reported several issues that we must improve on. Our certification process discipline and the formality we use to document any issues associated with the construction of the ship must be right every time. While none of the issues we uncovered impact the ability of the ship to safely conduct at-sea operations, we must all carry with us the importance of formally reporting any issues.
Overall, I’m encouraged by the progress we’re making as a team. With our Core Values guiding us, we will safely deliver the world’s most sophisticated ships to our Navy and continue our storied legacy well into this century.
Kevin Graney
Electric Boat Joins Regional Leaders for Military Appreciation Breakfast
Electric Boat employees joined military and community leaders for the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut’s annual Military Appreciation Breakfast on Sept. 30 at Ocean Beach Park’s Port ‘N’ Starboard. The event provided more than 120 complimentary seats to active-duty service members from the Navy, Coast Guard and Connecticut National Guard. General Dynamics Electric Boat...Continue reading→
One Week Left—Let’s Claim the Torch! AHA Eastern Connecticut Heart Walk: Final Countdown
We are just one week away from the 2026 AHA Eastern Connecticut Heart Walk on October 3, 2026, at UConn Avery Point and this is our moment to finish strong. We’ve built incredible momentum, and now we’re within striking distance of something big. Right now, Electric Boat is holding second place, behind Mohegan Sun by...Continue reading→
803 Section 2B/5 Transported from Quonset Point to Groton
PCU Arizona’s (SSGN 803) Section 2B/5 was successfully delivered to Groton from Quonset Point. At 184 feet in length, this section – which includes the Virginia Payload Module (VPM) – is the largest Virginia-class shipment ever transported. Arizona, the first submarine to incorporate VPM, will be about 460 feet long upon final construction. Section 2B/5...Continue reading→
Remembering September 11
On September 11, 2001, the Twin Towers of downtown Manhattan’s World Trade Center and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., were targeted in a series of coordinated attacks that would leave an everlasting imprint on our country’s psyche. As the events unfolded on that Tuesday morning, nearly 3,000 people lost their lives, over 600 were injured...Continue reading→
EBECSA Celebrates 75 Years — Nominate EB Employees Past and Present for Recognition
This year, the Electric Boat Employees’ Community Services Association (EBECSA) proudly celebrates its 75th anniversary. EBECSA was founded in 1951 by EB employees who wanted to create a dedicated, organized way to support nonprofit health and human service agencies in the communities where we live and work. What began as a small employee‑driven effort has...Continue reading→
Atlas Plaque Unveiled, Honoring Plank Owners at South Yard Ceremony
Employees who have worked on Atlas, EB’s new state-of-the-art floating dry dock, gathered in the South Yard on Wednesday, Aug. 26, to unveil a new bronze plaque recognizing the contributions of its plank owners. The event celebrated the teams who helped bring Atlas from Bollinger Shipyards in Louisiana to its arrival in Groton earlier this year. Atlas will play...Continue reading→
Neighbors Meet with EB to Discuss Noise, Lighting and Other Quality of Life Topics
Nearly twenty neighbors of Electric Boat’s Groton shipyard joined company leaders Aug. 25 for a community conversation focused on their quality‑of‑life concerns related to the South Yard Assembly Building (SYAB) and Atlas, the new floating dry dock. The Mayor of the City of Groton, Jill Rusk, also attended. Residents said they appreciated the chance to talk...Continue reading→
Rayha Report Ep. 26: Waterford Campus Groundbreaking
EB President Mark Rayha reports from the groundbreaking of the new Waterford Campus, where innovation, engineering and workforce development will come together to support our mission. The new facility will help train hundreds of shipbuilders daily as EB continues to grow for future production demands.
Waterford Campus Groundbreaking Marks EB’s Next Step in Innovation and Workforce Growth
Electric Boat officially broke ground Friday on the Waterford Campus, launching the transformation of the former Crystal Mall into a center for innovation, engineering and high‑tech workforce development. EB President Mark Rayha underscored how the project will reshape the way the company designs, tests and builds submarines. Innovation is the key, he said. “There’s an opportunity to...Continue reading→
Powering HeartStrong 50: Thank You, EB Teams—Let’s Keep the Momentum Going!
Thank you to our incredible EB Heart Walk teams, our community partners, and everyone who joined the American Heart Association (AHA) Torch Journey photoshoot. Your enthusiasm and dedication made this milestone truly special. Now let’s keep our HeartStrong 50 energy going—our goal is 50 teams and $50,000 raised for the 2026 AHA Eastern Connecticut Heart Walk on October 3 at UConn Avery...Continue reading→
