1899: Financier Isaac Rice founds Electric Boat Company. The company was established to bring to completion a 54-foot submersible vessel developed by John Philip Holland.

1900: Considered the world's first practical submarine and named for its inventor, the Holland is accepted by the U.S. Navy, marking the beginning of the U.S. Submarine Force.

1911: Electric Boat acquires the New London Ship and Engine Co. in Groton, CT, to build diesel engines and other machinery and parts for submarines and commercial ships.

1914-18: During World War I and just after, Electric Boat receives orders to build 85 submarines for the U.S. Navy. The company's ELCO subsidiary builds 722 submarine chasers, while another subsidiary, the Submarine Boat Co., builds 118 Liberty ships.

1924: The Peruvian government places orders for two submarines, the first to be built at the Groton shipyard.

1934: Cuttlefish, the first submarine ordered by the U.S. Navy since 1918, is delivered. Cuttlefish is also the first welded submarine and the first submarine built in Groton for the Navy.

1941-45: Over the course of World War II, Electric Boat produces 74 submarines and 398 PT boats.

1951: The company announces its contract to build the Nautilus (SSN571), the world's first nuclear-powered submarine.

1954: First lady Mamie Eisenhower christens the Nautilus. Embarking on initial sea trials a year later, the submarine sends the historic message: "Underway on nuclear power."

1959: USS George Washington (SSBN598), the Navy's first fleet ballistic-missile submarine, is commissioned.

1960: The Electric Boat-built USS Triton (SSN586) circumnavigates the globe submerged in 84 days. The journey followed Ferdinand Magellan's route, which took three years to complete.

1960: USS George Washington embarks on its first strategic deterrence patrol carrying 16 Polaris missiles.

1966: Sturgeon (SSN637), the lead ship in a new class of attack submarines, is launched.

1972: Electric Boat receives contracts for the design and development of the Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine. These mammoth 560-foot ships will be built in a modular fashion, a process pioneered by EB.

1972: The company lays the keel for its first Los Angeles-class attack submarine, Philadelphia (SSN690).

1973: The company's Quonset Point Facility in North Kingstown, RI, is established.

1974: Production begins at Quonset Point, with an initial workforce of eight trainees and a handful of management personnel.

1975: Construction of EB's $150 million land-level submarine construction facility begins in Groton.

1977: The land-level submarine construction facility in Groton becomes fully operational.

1978: Construction of EB's $120 million automated frame and cylinder facility begins at Quonset Point.

1979: Electric Boat launches the Ohio (SSBN726), the first of an 18-ship class popularly known as Tridents.

1980: Quonset Point's automated frame and cylinder facility becomes fully operational.

1989: The company begins construction of Seawolf (SSN21), the lead ship in what will be the most advanced class of attack submarine in the world.

1991: Electric Boat wins the contract to build the second Seawolf submarine (SSN22), later named Connecticut.

1994: First lady Hillary Clinton christens Columbia (SSN771), Electric Boat's 33rd and final Los Angeles-class submarine. Columbia was also the last U.S. submarine to be launched in the traditional sliding fashion.

1995: Seawolf (SSN21) is christened by Margaret Dalton, wife of Secretary of the Navy John H. Dalton.

1996: Electric Boat receives a $1.4 billion contract to design the successor to the Seawolf class, the New Attack Submarine, now known as the Virginia class.

1996: At the completion of its initial sea trials, Seawolf (SSN21) is described as the fastest, quietest, most heavily armed submarine in the world.

1997: Electric Boat teams with Newport News Shipbuilding (now Northrop Grumman Newport News) to produce the Virginia Class of submarines.

1997: The Navy commissions USS Seawolf (SSN21).

1997: Electric Boat christens the second Seawolf-class submarine, Connecticut (SSN22).

1997: USS Louisiana (SSBN743), Electric Boat's 18th and final Trident submarine, is delivered to the Navy, bringing to a close what has been described as a model military procurement program.

1998: Electric Boat receives a $4.2 billion contract to build the first four Virginia-class submarines. Construction is shared with teammate Northrop Grumman Newport News.

1998: Electric Boat delivers the second Seawolf-class submarine, Connecticut (SSN22), to the U.S. Navy.

1999: Electric Boat marks the centennial of its founding.

1999: U.S. Sen. John Warner of Virginia inscribes his initials on Virginia (SSN774) during a keel-laying ceremony at the Quonset Point Facility for the lead ship of the Navy's newest class of submarines.

1999: The U.S. Navy awards Electric Boat an $887 million contract to modify Jimmy Carter (SSN23) to accommodate advanced technology for special warfare and surveillance.

2000: The first hull section of Virginia (SSN774), the first of the U.S. Navy's newest class of nuclear attack submarines, arrives at the Groton shipyard. The 1,000-ton section was transported from Quonset Point.

2000: Electric Boat breaks ground for a $12.4 million automated steel-processing center at the Quonset Point Facility.

2001: The Quonset Point Facility's new automated steel-processing center is dedicated.

2002: Electric Boat receives a $443 million contract to design the SSGN, a conversion of the four oldest Ohio-class SSBNs into multi-mission submarines optimized for covert strike and special operations support.

2003: The Navy awards Electric Boat an $8.7 billion block-buy contract for six Virginia-class submarines, the largest submarine order in U.S. history. The contract is later converted to a multiyear purchase plan for five submarines.

2003: Electric Boat christens the Virginia (SSN774), first of its class.

2003: Electric Boat begins the SSGN conversions of the four oldest Ohio-class SSBNs into multi-mission submarines optimized for covert strike and special operations support.

2004: Electric Boat christens the Jimmy Carter (SSN23), the third and final Seawolf-class submarine, which has been modified for special warfare and surveillance.

2004: Electric Boat delivers both the Virginia (SSN774) and the Jimmy Carter (SSN23) to the U.S. Navy.

Top of Page