Electric Boat To Build First Seawolf Submarine Under $726-Million Pact

The Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation, Groton, Conn., was recently awarded a $725,951,700 fixed-price, incentive contract to build the lead submarine of the U.S. Navy's Seawolf Class (SSN-21).

According to reports, the Seawolf Class high-speed attack submarine will be well armed, and fitted with advanced sonar, sensors, computer attack systems and propulsion plant. She is designed to operate deeper, quieter and faster than the Navy's present attack submarine, the 360-foot, 6,900-ton-displacement Los Angeles Class (SSN-688).

The Electric Boat Division currently builds the Navy's Los Angeles Class submarines, as well as its 560-foot, 18,700-ton-displacement Ohio Class Trident ballistic missile submarines. Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Va., also builds SSN-688 Cl&ss subs The SSN-21 Class is designed to counter the rapidly increasing capabilities of the Soviet submarine force projected for the 1990s and beyond. Two notable Soviet submarine designs are the AKULA Class multipurpose attack submarine, which has the ability to run quietly and launch long-range cruise missile attacks, and the titaniumhulled ALFA Class, which, according to Soviet Military Power 1988, can dive deeper and run faster than current U.S. attack submarines.

Over the next 10 years, the Navy may build as many as 25 Seawolf Class submarines. Both Newport News and Electric Boat are expected to compete for these construction contracts.

The first Seawolf Class submarine is expected to be commissioned in 1995.

Maritime Reporter Magazine, page 57, Feb 1989

Read Electric Boat To Build First Seawolf Submarine Under $726-Million Pact in Pdf, Flash or Html5 edition of February 1989 Maritime Reporter

Other stories from February 1989 issue

Content

Maritime Reporter

First published in 1881 Maritime Reporter is the world's largest audited circulation publication serving the global maritime industry.