NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2007 CASEY: ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR SUBS IS ENCOURAGING; SHORT-TERM CHALLENGES REMAIN lectric Boat President John company’s Quonset Point facility. ship, New Hampshire, in four modules, Casey described the plan to He expressed his appreciation for the compared with the 10 required for the Ebuild two submarines per year regional and national political support lead ship of the class. With this and other earlier than expected as good news for that resulted in an additional $588 mil- production and process improvements, the business over the long term, although lion to accelerate production of Virginia- New Hampshire is expected to be deliv- the company will face a number of chal- Class submarines to two per year as early ered in 72 months – 14 months earlier lenges in the immediate future. as FY 10, sooner than anticipated. He than USS Hawaii, the most recent ship That was the central message Casey noted, however, that the increase will not produced by Electric Boat. delivered at the company’s annual busi- have a significant effect on the Groton Additionally, he said, Electric Boat is ness briefing for local, regional and state waterfront for several years. moving forward with a major redesign of leaders from Connecticut and Rhode Casey pointed to continuing success in the Virginia-Class bow, which will pro- Island. Two sessions were held – one in the Virginia-Class program. Specifically, vide the Navy with the twin benefits of Groton and one later in the day at the he said, Electric Boat has built its next continued on page 15 SSGN Ohio Deploys to Western Pacific USS Ohio (SSGN-726) arrives at Naval Station Pearl Harbor recently to take on supplies before continuing on its maiden deployment to the Western Pacific. USS Ohio is the first of four Trident submarines Electric Boat has converted to tactical strike and special- operations support platforms. (Related story on page 19) U.S. Navy photo INSIDE Leadership Development Class • 2 Health Matters • 12 EBAC Names Award Winners • 8 Congressman Gets Shipyard Tour • 18 Welcome to Electric Boat • 2 Retirees • 13 Big Brothers Big Sisters Thanks Electric Electric Boat Successfully Completes Earned Hours • 3 EB, Employees Honored For Support Boat Volunteers • 9 Health and Safety Audit • 18 Casey Receives Community Service Of National Guard And Reserve • 14 Liz Bove Celebrates 50 Years at EB • 10 Ohio Class SSGN Reaches Initial Award • 3 Heart Association Recognizes EB • 4 EB Receives Commendable Rating In Operational Capability • 19 Sub Symposium Looks at Trends • 4 Intensive Team Effort Supports Design Security Review • 10 Electric Boat Successfully Completes Health and Safety Audit • 19 Contract Roundup • 11 For Affordability Initiative • 5 Classifieds • 16 Safety Performance • 20 NASSCO Delivers USNS Richard E. Byrd Electric Boat Develops Advanced EB Business Ethics and Conduct • 16 Ship, Third T-AKE Delivered In 2007 • 11 Propulsion Unit • 6 Service Awards • 17 Leadership Development Class Graduates The third class of Electric Boat’s Leadership Development Program graduated recently, bringing the number of employees who have completed the program to 71. Launched in March 2003, the program builds the competencies future leaders will require to support business needs and personal career development. Front row, from left are: Greg Angelini, Doug D'Alessio, Mark Gagnon, Lynn Tremblay, Steve Moffett, Rich Springman, John Peck, Dave Kompare, Joan Sienkiewicz and Pete Schilke. Back Row, from left are: David Vetelino, Jeff Swallow, Lance Johnson, Brian Huard, Chris Doyle, Marc Macintosh, Matt Olan- der, Jim Gildart, Dan Healy, Harry Haugeto and Glenn Knowles. Missing from the photo are Mike Holubecki and Andy Lightner. Welcome to Electric Boat Please help welcome the following employees who have recently joined the company. Stephen Lydick (100) Lisa Ricci (448) Ryan James (452) William Procious (456) Machinist Engineer Draftsman Draftsman Javlyn Vose (252) Dominik Kot (449) David Rovazzini (454) Christopher Caldwell (615) Carpenter Engineer Engineering Specialist Financial Analyst Michael Frankenberry (322) Vimal Vachhani (449) Michele Ingalls (456) QC Specialist Engineer Draftsman 2 I NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2007 I ELECTRIC BOAT NEWS Dan Barrett, Editor Bob Gallo, Gary Slater, Gary Hall, Photography Electric Boat News is published monthly by the Public Affairs Department, 75 Eastern Point Road, Groton, CT 06340 Phone (860) 433-8202 Fax (860) 433-8054 Email [email protected] Earned Hours • Where We Stand Casey Receives Community Service Award Credits Employees for Contributions to the Region sionally and personally,” he said. Invention Convention,” said Casey. he Chamber of Commerce of “If there’s one point to take home “I want to underscore just how proud Eastern Connecticut recently tonight – it’s this,” Casey told the gather- I am to be associated with the people of T honored Electric Boat Presi- ing. “These employees represent the real Electric Boat, who give of themselves so dent John Casey with its William Craw- and enduring value Electric Boat brings willingly and so often.” ford Award for community service. to Southeastern Connecticut.” Tony Sheridan, president of the More than 450 people turned out for During his remarks, Casey described regional chamber, lauded Casey for his the event, which was held at Foxwoods the contributions the company and its civic and community involvement. “John Resort Casino. The award was created in employees make to the community, in Casey sets a high benchmark for all cor- 1977 and named for William Crawford, particular to the Employees Community porate leaders to live up to,” he said. former owner of the WSUB radio station Services Association, the United Way Sheridan also referred to the recent and an active member of the chamber and the American Red Cross. successful effort to add money to the and the community. “Perhaps even more significant is what defense budget, which will enable the In accepting the honor, Casey said, our employees have done as individuals – construction of two Virginia-Class sub- “I’d like to expand the recognition that working on their own time to coach Lit- marines per year. comes with this award to include all the tle League, soccer, hockey and football , “His advocacy for the construction of people of Electric Boat, for they truly and raise money to fight cancer, diabetes two submarines per year will preserve a deserve every bit of the credit. and heart disease. highly technical industry,” Sheridan said, “Every day, I work with men and “They’re members of their town “and maintains an important manufac- women who are critical to the nation’s school boards, recreation commissions, turing base in Connecticut and Rhode defense … people who design, build, town councils and finance committees. Island.” operate and maintain nuclear sub- They’re mentoring the next generation in marines. They are unquestionably among local classrooms and through organiza- the finest people in the world – profes- tions like Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the ELECTRIC BOAT NEWS I NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2007 I 3 Submarine Symposium Looks At Current, Future Trends nity needs to consider its needs for stealth the Trident submarine replacement is ne of NASA’s top scientists in the littorals and in transit, advanced “well under way.” said new warfighting tech- payloads and the integration of offboard Grooms said the next-generation “Sea Onologies have made sub- sensors. Based Strategic Deterrent” has become a marines one of the most logical choices “This is really a generational invest- priority of the U.S. Strategic Command, for control of sea lines of communica- ment for the next class of submarine,” which wants to begin production in 2019. tion. Hilarides said. “It’s time.” “We are working to make this come to “That old joke that the Navy has sub- Hilarides said that the Design For life so we can field a replacement in the marines and targets? Well, guess what? Affordability initiative for the Virginia- not-too-distant future,” Grooms said. That’s become true,” said Dr. David class submarine – the focus of recent A recent study by the RAND Corp. Bushnell, speaking at the 2007 Naval investment in submarine design – has has encouraged the Navy to move for- Submarine League Annual Symposium paid significant dividends. ward soon on the next-generation subma- in McLean, Va. Electrification of the torpedo room rine to preserve the design industrial base. “Submerged assets are really the only has not only saved money, he said, but it įĬį survivable approach for any force projec- has eliminated a half-mile of piping, hun- One of the key features of converting tion asset,” Bushnell said. “We really dreds of welds, and a variety of valves the first four Ohio-class submarines to ought to submerge the Navy.” and filters. There have been dozens of SSGN has been the addition of a Battle The annual gathering of some of the other success stories as well, such as Management Center that would allow a top officials in the undersea services, aca- modularizing the lockout trunk to allow theater commander to operate from demia and industry featured two days of it to be outfitted and tested before instal- under the sea. discussions about submarine force his- lation, which will save $500,000. Based on lessons learned from the tory, current operations and future needs. But the most impressive success to USS Ohio (SSGN-726), the submarine Among the other topics discussed: date, he said, was the “bow bundle,” force has already incorporated changes įĬį which will include replacing the 12 verti- such as modifying the floors so computer cal launch tubes with two “six packs” of Rear Adm. William H. Hilarides, pro- cables can be changed easily, to make it missiles and replacing the sonar sphere gram executive officer for Submarines, quickly reconfigurable, said Rear Adm. with a large aperture bow array. Not only supported a greater Navy investment in Hilarides.