Electric Boat
Typically, the first name to come to mind when thinking of submarines and naval war craft is Electric Boat. In 1899, Electric Boat pioneered the world's first submarine, named Holland after its inventor, John Philip Holland. Electric Boat played a pivotal role in World War One, delivering more than 80 submarines, 550 submarine chasers and completely overhauling 30 more naval crafts. During World War Two, Electric Boat launched 74 submarines from their plant in Groton, Connecticut and created 28 more at their Wisconsin shipyard. These submarines accounted for 39 percent of all of the Japanese ships that were sunk over the course of the war.
When most shipbuilding companies were losing money after the war, Electric Boat was increasing its sales. The US Navy contracted Electric Boat to construct the first nuclear powered submarine called the USS Nautilus. Since the launch of this submarine, Electric Boat has been recognized as the principal authority in submarine nuclear propulsion, design and construction.
Electric Boat was responsible for designing 15 classes of nuclear submarines, including all of the ballistic missile firing submarines. They played a more important role in the dawn of nuclear submarines than any other ship building company of the time. Additionally, the end of the Cold War brought dramatic change to the Navy as the demand for ships had considerably lessened. Many companies would turn to Electric Boat for their services, keeping the company in business at a time when many shipyards were closing and filing for bankruptcy.
After the Cold War, Electric Boat began work on a series of submarines that would eventually become the most powerful submarines in the world. These vessels were known as the Seawolf class, and included the Jimmy Carter and the USS Connecticut. These vessels were essential to the United States Navy, as individuals prepared for the 21st century and all of the new threats that faced the country.
Recently, Electric Boat has made changes that have allowed them to produce submarines for a more affordable price. The Seawolf's successor, the Virginia class, was made at a much more agreeable price. Electric Boat also joined forces with Newport News Shipbuilding, which proved to be a great option for both companies.
Electric Boat has proven itself to be one of the most revolutionary producers of submarines that the world has ever seen. With the war on terror and many other threats, submarines remain important to the nation's defense. Their endurance, mobility and flexibility have been very versatile in many forms of combat.
This is the second century that Electric Boat has been making submarines that are used to protect our country. It has offered many leading-edge technologies that have since been picked up by other shipyards. Although Electric Boat has been one of the most prominent and respected shipyards over the last century, there have been some bad times for the company as well. At the start of the century, many shipyards used asbestos when constructing their boats and submarines. Therefore, countless employees were exposed to this deadly chemical. If left untouched, asbestos is usually not dangerous. However, once it is broken, the fibers become airborne and lodge themselves in the respiratory system. This can eventually cause diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.
A number of lawsuits have been launched against Electric Boat by both former employees that have been affected as well as the families of those who have passed on from these illnesses. It is important to note that most companies were not aware of the adverse affects of asbestos when it was used on ships in the US. However, as the effects of asbestos become known, shipyards of this time are being faced with lawsuits due to many of their previous employees being poisoned by asbestos.
