Electric Boat FEBRUARY 2005 INSIDE New Building Enhances Work Navy Commissions Of Hull-Coating Crew • 3 Carpenters’ Innovative Scaffolding Makes MIP Work Move Forward • 4 USS JIMMY CARTER USS Florida Reaches Key Conversion Milestone Ahead of Schedule • 5 General Dynamics Is Fourth Largest he U.S. Navy commissioned the submarine Jimmy Defense Contractor • 5 Carter (SSN-23) Feb. 19 at the submarine base, the last Padgett Describes What’s Needed To Succeed • 6 T of the three-ship Seawolf class and the second Electric Process-Improvement Idea Enhances Boat-built ship to join the fleet in four months. Recycling Program • 8 The 2,500 people in attendance included Differentiating the Jimmy Carter from all Contract Roundup • 9 a who’s who of Navy leadership and the other submarines is its Multi-Mission Plat- Classified / Retirees • 10 Carter Administration as well as represen- form (MMP), which includes a 100-foot, Service Awards • 11 tatives of the Connecticut and Rhode 2,500-ton hull extension that enhances pay- Island congressional delegation. All were load capability, enabling the ship to accom- on hand to witness the commissioning of a modate advanced technology required to ship named for the only submarine-quali- develop and test an entirely new generation fied man to serve as U.S. president. of weapons, sensors, and undersea vehicles. continued on page 2 Crew members of USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23) help bring the ship to life as they head across the brow during commissioning ceremonies at the submarine base Feb. 19. U.S. Navy photo by PH2 Roadell Hickman/Volunteer Training Unit Cleveland/Naval Reserves “With the advanced capabilities of the Seawolf class and its unique Multi-Mission Platform, the Jimmy Carter will lead the way in the evolution of undersea warfare in the 21st century. The world has never seen a submarine with the capabilities embodied in this ship.” – John Casey, Electric Boat president continued from page 1 At the same time, the submarine retains assuring our country’s continuing subma- warfare in the 21st century. The world the operational characteristics of the Sea- rine superiority. has never seen a submarine with the wolf class – the fastest, quietest, most “This morning – for the second time in capabilities embodied in this ship. heavily armed undersea combatants in four months – we are marking a signifi- “Just as impressive are the capabilities the world. cant event for the U.S. Navy, the Subma- that produced it. With our revolutionary Selected by the Navy to serve as a test rine Force and Electric Boat,” Casey said. design/build techniques, Electric Boat bed for submarine missions in the 21st “I’m referring, of course, to the com- took on the task of producing the Multi- century, the Jimmy Carter will support missioning of the Jimmy Carter, which Mission Platform, a project as complex classified research, development, test, and was preceded by the commissioning of as the construction of an entire Los evaluation efforts for naval special-war- USS Virginia in October. Although the Angeles-class submarine. fare missions, tactical undersea surveil- Jimmy Carter is technically the third and “Beginning with a notion that was lit- lance, and undersea warfare concepts. final Seawolf-class vessel, the modifica- tle more than a Power Point slide, we On June 5, 2004, the 453-foot, 12,139- tions it has undergone make it in reality a moved from concept design, to detail ton submarine was christened by Ros- ship of its own class. design, construction, integration, test, sea alynn Carter; in November, it began its “In that sense, the Navy/Electric Boat trials and delivery in half the normal sea trials; and in December, the ship was team has achieved an unprecedented time. delivered to the Navy. accomplishment – the commissionings of “This achievement underscores what I In his remarks at the ceremony, the two lead submarines in just 120 days. consider an indisputable fact – Electric former president said he had been hon- “With the advanced capabilities of the Boat and its work force are irreplaceable ored to serve as the governor of Georgia, Seawolf class and its unique Multi-Mis- national assets that must be sustained for the president of the United States and sion Platform, the Jimmy Carter will lead our country’s security.” the director of the Carter Center, an the way in the evolution of undersea Among the event’s other speakers was influential human-rights organization. Vice Adm. Charles L. Munns, com- “But the deepest, most emotional “Beginning with a notion that was mander of Naval Submarine Forces. honor I have ever had is to have this “It’s a good day when we get a new sub- little more than a Power Point slide, great ship bear my name,” said Carter. marine commissioned, an even better day Referring to the ship’s crew, most of we moved from concept design, to when it’s named after a president and a whom he has personally met, Carter said, submariner, and even more special that “Their dedication is to use its extraordi- detail design, construction, integra- we did it on President’s Day weekend,” nary capabilities, many top secret, to pre- tion, test, sea trials and delivery in he said. serve peace, to protect our country and “We still don’t comprehend how useful to keep high the banner of human rights half the normal time. it’s going to be,” Munns said of the USS around the world.” At that, the crowd This achievement underscores what Jimmy Carter. “Every submarine class rose to its feet in a standing ovation. we have gets used for much more than we “Tied up in front of you is 12,000 tons I consider an indisputable fact – thought possible when we put it in the of proof that Electric Boat remains Electric Boat and its work force are water. That’s what so exciting about the absolutely committed to the U.S. Navy Jimmy Carter. We know how capable and the nation’s defense,” said EB Presi- irreplaceable national assets that this ship is, but we also know it will be dent John Casey, one of the events used in ways we cannot even envision must be sustained for our country’s speakers. “We are integral partners in now.” security.” – John Casey, Electric Boat president 2 I February 2005 I ELECTRIC BOAT NEWS New Building Enhances Work Of Hull-Coating Crew hen Electric Boat employ- ees begin applying Mold- WIn-Place hull coatings to the aft sections of Hawaii (SSN-776) next month, they’ll be doing it within the confines of a brand-new building – one that promises to make the work safer, faster and more user-friendly. “We have services in this building like Electric Boat’s new MIP enclosure is ready for its first Mold-In-Place tile installation and pour. we’ve never had before within our tem- porary structures,” said senior operations analyst Ed Welles (252). “We have air processor up top, he said, is that it will banks. We have water. We have a built-in allow for the efficient flow-down of the shower and eyewash station on every MIP mixture. level for safety.” The new facility is also climate-con- And the new MIP enclosure features trolled, so regardless of extreme weather deck grating that will allow sandblast conditions, tradespeople who work Dan Barrett, grit to fall through to the bottom, mini- inside will be able to do so in relative Editor mizing time-consuming cleanup, he said. comfort. The more stable temperature Dean R. Courtney, “This building is going to save us a lot and humidity will also allow for the year- Contributing Editor of time and money,” Welles said. “It’s round application of MIP, something Bob Gallo, Gary Hall, just what we need.” that had been a challenge with the tem- Gary Slater, Though the vendor-built structure was porary MIP structures. Photography delivered to EB more than a year ago, Longo said the new enclosure, located this is the first time it’s being used, in Building 260, will be used in conjunc- Electric Boat News is explained carpenter foreman Rick tion with the MIP tile-fabrication facility published monthly by the Longo (252). established three years ago in the South Public Affairs Department, 75 Eastern Point Road, “There were a lot of people who Yard. The synergy between the two, plus Groton, CT 06340 helped us get this building to where it is a rail system that allows the new enclo- today,” he said. He added that the finish- sure to travel the length of the boat, is Phone (860) 433-8202 ing touches included, among other expected to make the entire process Fax (860) 433-8054 things, the creation of user manuals and much more efficient. the installation of MIP-processing “The building was designed to do 60 Email [email protected] equipment on the top deck of the struc- feet of MIP at a time,” he said. “When ture. we get done with one section, we can lay Welles said the built-in safety features out another 60 feet of track and move include a containment around the MIP the building down, close in the ends, processor to protect workers below from reconfigure the staging as appropriate, a spill. An added benefit of having the and we’re ready to go again.” ELECTRIC BOAT NEWS I February 2005 I 3 Carpenter Adam Hunt, top, and carpenter apprentice Adam Brousaides adjust the staging around the rudder of the Hawaii (SSN-776). ment of many, the team completed the job in just weeks using metal scaffolding almost exclusively, with very little wood.