Electric Boat awarded massive US Navy contracts worth nearly $77 billion

General Dynamics Electric Boat has landed major defense contracts worth nearly $77 billion, a move supporters say will help secure thousands of jobs in Connecticut for years to come.

The U.S. Department of Defense announced it awarded contracts for 14 new submarines, including the Navy’s next-generation Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine and Virginia-class fast attack submarines.

Much of the work will take place at Electric Boat’s shipyard in Groton.

The announcement has generated excitement in southeastern Connecticut, where many businesses rely on the shipyard and its workforce.

At Palermo Pizzeria in Groton, Dan Logan said Electric Boat employees make up the vast majority of his customer base.

“Very important. It’s 90% of our business,” Logan said.

Electric Boat President Mark Rayha said the contracts represent an important responsibility for the company.

“We know that the nation is placing a lot of treasure in our hands to go build something that protects our freedom. So we’re humbled by that and looking forward to the job,” Rayha said.

Meeting the demands of the contracts will require a large workforce.

 Electric Boat has been seeking to hire 8,000 workers this year alone.

In May, hundreds of high school graduates accepted job offers with the company.

Rayha said the contracts provide long-term career opportunities for current and future shipbuilders.

“It means longevity of careers. It means this generation of shipbuilders is going to get a chance to have long and flourishing careers; all the economic benefit that comes from that,” he said.

The Pentagon described the submarine contracts as a historic investment in maintaining U.S. undersea superiority.

Military experts say expanding the fleet has been needed for some time.

“The Navy has been going through a period of time where they do not have enough ships, combat ships, aircraft carriers, submarines to be able to do the mission that it was doing in prior years,” said Kenneth Gray, a homeland security professor at the University of New Haven.

The economic impact of the contracts is expected to extend well beyond the Groton shipyard.

Electric Boat works with hundreds of suppliers across Connecticut that support submarine construction and related operations.

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