The Groton, Conn., shipyard, which EB acquired in 1911 when it purchased the New London Ship and Engine Co., has two major functions: first, submarine design and engineering; and second, submarine assembly, test and delivery. All Electric Boat design and engineering work takes place in Groton, supported by a network of modern digital design and analysis tools.

The heart of the Groton shipyard is its Land-Level Construction Facility, where submarine hull sections are assembled. Upon arrival from EB's Quonset Point Facility, the hull sections - weighing as much as 2,500 tons each - are positioned using small electric transfer cars and then joined together using an automated, cost-efficient welding process.

Piping and wiring systems are connected and all submarine systems are tested. The nuclear reactor core is then loaded into the hull and the propulsion plant is readied for testing. The completed hull is placed in the graving dock and "floated off" in preparation for sea trials.

Manned by a Navy crew, the submarine undergoes a challenging series of tests at sea to demonstrate the ship's readiness. Ultimately, these trials confirm EB's success at integrating thousands of complex components into a smoothly operating, highly effective ship.

Throughout this complex process, efficiency and success are dependent on the esprit de corps and teamwork between EB's engineers and tradespeople, the U.S. Navy's management team and the submarine's crew.