Electric Boat gets submarine contract

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GROTON, Conn., April 19 (UPI) -- General Dynamics Electric Boat has been given a U.S. Navy contract to purchase long-lead items for the Navy's Virginia class submarines.

Electric Boat said the contract funding is for steam and electrical-plant components, the main propulsion unit and ship-service turbine generator set, miscellaneous hull, mechanical and electrical-systems components needed in construction of the submarine SSN-792.

Work in the SSN-792 is to begin in 2014.

Virginia class submarines are fast attack vessels for open-ocean and littoral missions. They are 377 feet in length, 34 feet in the beam, displace 7,800 tons, and have a speed of more than 25 knots. Armament includes Tomahawk cruise missiles and torpedoes.

"Hailed as model defense-acquisition program for its technical excellence and schedule performance, the Virginia-class submarine program provides the Navy with the capabilities required to dominate both the open ocean and the littorals," the company said.

"In partnership with the Navy, Electric Boat is successfully pursuing its goal to reduce ship costs while maintaining capabilities through overall efficiency improvements, decreased ship-construction labors costs and shortened ship-construction cycle times."