‘Relevant and Critical:’ Electric Boat Marks 126 Years

02.04.2025
Manufacturing

It is full speed ahead at General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, according to new company president Mark Rayha. 

Days ahead of the company’s 126th anniversary, Rayha updated state and local leaders Feb. 3 about the submarine manufacturer’s plans for the coming years,. 

“Our submarines will continue to be relevant and critical assets for the foreseeable future,” Rayha said. 

“Electric Boat has a central role recapitalizing our nation’s most survivable nuclear deterrent, the Columbia program, as the nation’s number one acquisition priority.” 

Rayha took over the role as president two months ago following predecessor Kevin Graney’s retirement.

“It is an absolute honor to lead the men and women of Electric Boat,” Rayha said.

“The only company that can take a design and a design idea and bring it to life in the most complicated machine ever devised and built by humans.”

Active Projects 

With more than 15,000 employees and 333 suppliers in Connecticut, Electric Boat is a critical part of the state’s economy. 

The Columbia-class submarine remains the company’s largest strategic submarine business, accounting for roughly 36% of the company’s 2024 revenue. 

The ships will replace the Ohio-class submarines, an important asset for the U.S. Navy. 

Through 2040, Electric Boat is set to deliver 12 Columbia-class submarines, though Rayha said those target dates continue to be threatened by supply chain delays. 

Mark Rayha, Electric Boat president
“Future continues to be bright:” Electric Boat president Mark Rayha.

“Challenges continue to be supply chain issues, and that’s not meant to as a condemnation of supply chain, but the generators and the bow at times are a pacing item for us,” Rayha said.

The Virginia-class submarine contracts are the company’s second largest business line, accounting for 37% of sales. 

Electric Boat has successfully delivered 24 ships already, and are continuing contracts for more than a dozen more. 

“Our Virginia-class attack submarine program continues to incorporate technology to provide the capabilities our war fighters need to deter adversaries and ensure continued overpass,” Rayha said. 

Expansion Efforts

Aside from building new ships, Electric Boat continues to support maintenance and modernization efforts of aging fleets. 

Construction projects to expand shipyard capacity and infrastructure remain underway to support the company’s goals. 

Electric Boat has made nearly $2.2 billion capital investments in Connecticut and Rhode Island to support these improvements. 

The three major projects happening in Connecticut include replacing a 50-year-old launch pontoon for the Virginia-class submarine, adding a new floating dry dock launch platform for the Columbia-class submarine, and replacing old wooden submarine piers in the Thames River. 

Rayha said the expanded capacity will help them deliver one Columbia-class submarine and two Virginia-class submarines each year. 

Workforce 

Rayha said building the company’s workforce and pipeline training programs are critical to Electric Boat’s long-term success. 

Electric Boat currently employs 24,000 people, including more than 15,000 in Connecticut. 

The majority of those employees call Connecticut home. 

Electric Boat currently employs 24,000 people, including more than 15,000 in Connecticut. 

In 2024, the company hired more than 4,100 employees—from engineers to designers and operations workers. 

Rayha said EB plans to hire an additional 3,000 employees in 2025. 

The rate of hire in Groton, in terms of the operations workforce, will match the flow of our supply chain,” he explained. 

“Despite a flatter trajectory in 2025, the future continues to be bright in Connecticut.” 

Training Programs

Since 2016, Rayha said Electric Boat has hired almost 3,000 Connecticut workforce pipeline graduates, including almost 400 high school seniors in 2024 alone. 

He said the company’s goal is to have 20% of the incoming workforce come from area high schools. 

And while employees spend a great deal of time messaging to the high schools, they have put a lot of focus on programming at the elementary and middle schools as well. 

“Not everyone can do this work. And some only find that out if they work on the deck plate or on the shop floor.”

Electric Boat’s Mark Rayha

“Some of the young people we will hire in 2033 are in fifth grade,” Rayha said.  

Rayha said partnerships with local organizations have played an important role in hiring efforts and maintaining strong workforce pipelines. 

Submarine building is harcore,” Rayha said. “Not everyone can do this work. And some only find that out if they work on the deck plate or on the shop floor. 

“That’s why the pipeline, training programs, internships and other programs we have at our local schools are so critical to our success.”

Supply Chain 

Equally important to Electric Boat’s success is the speed, precision, and predictability of its supply chain. 

In the last five years, roughly $34 billion was awarded to nearly 2,700 suppliers in 48 states, including 1.36 billion Connecticut companies. 

Connecticut manufacturers make up 10% of Electric Boat’s current supply chain, with suppliers in every corner of the state. 

“These suppliers provide highly skilled, high wage manufacturing jobs producing specialized components and materials,” Rayha said. 

“These suppliers provide highly skilled, high wage manufacturing jobs producing specialized components and materials.”

Rayha

He said in recent years, Connecticut’s federal delegation has played a large role in securing funding for supplier development. 

Rayha said 23 Connecticut companies received these funds through growth capacity capabilities. 

“There’s been quite a bit of money put to the supply base to help grow our industrial capability,” Rayha said. 

He hopes for the continued support to help the company meet the demand. 

“Our nation needs submarines now more than any time in recent history,” he said.

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