GDEB Delivers USS Mississippi to US Navy 363 Days Ahead

[frigidmagi]

naval today

General Dynamics Electric Boat yesterday delivered the nuclear-powered attack submarine Mississippi (SSN-782) to the U.S. Navy 363 days ahead of contract schedule and more than $60 million below target cost. Electric Boat is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics .

John Holmander, vice president and Virginia program manager for General Dynamics Electric Boat, noted that Mississippi was at the most combat-ready state of any Virginia-class submarine at delivery. He credited the Navy, the shipbuilders and the supplier base for achieving significant shipbuilding benchmarks with the delivery of Mississippi.
Mississippi is the ninth ship of the Virginia Class, the most advanced submarines in the world. These ships are providing the Navy with the capabilities it requires to retain its undersea dominance well into the 21st century. Mississippi will join the fleet in a commissioning ceremony June 2 in Pascagoula, Miss.

“When compared with the lead ship of the Virginia Class, we have reduced our construction span time by two years, and implemented improvements that reduced construction labor hours by 30 percent,” Holmander said.

“These are remarkable achievements that demonstrate the skill and commitment of everyone involved in the Virginia-class submarine program,” he said. “This kind of performance is the best way to help the Navy attain its shipbuilding goals and ensure our continuing success as a business.”

Electric Boat and its major subcontractor, Newport News Shipbuilding, have received contracts to build the first 18 submarines of a planned 30-ship Virginia Class under a unique teaming agreement.

Oh hey, this is awesome, a year ahead!

[LadyTevar]

Part of me says WOOHOO Great Job!
The rest of me asks what corners were cut. :(

[Stofsk]

Hopefully there weren't any corners that were cut. I'm sure the navy will give this boat a proper shakedown sometime soon to determine that.

[Batman]

While I would like to believe that GDEB simply did that awesome a job (and the 9th Virginia? Way to keep track, World's Greatest Detective) I, too, cannot but help wonder same as her ladyship. Almost a year ahead of schedule? That may very well be a first.

Now if this boat turns out to be up to specs (or at least to the extent that is expected, that's what they have shakedown cruises for afterall) my cowl is off to the people at the EBD.

Of course, this being the 9th boat of the class it might be nothing more sinister than them finally having worked out all the kinks and snags in the building process and/or the projected building time having been deliberately conservative because of said inevitably arising problems.

[Josh]

Or they could've introduced new systems and process that just streamlined the shit out of things. A bit of automation here or there can work wonders. So can getting a competent boss after having a screamingly incompetent one.

Any number of possible answers here, and I am curious as to which one is right.