Groton — Now that the Navy has signed the largest shipbuilding contract in its history with Electric Boat, the service will save $2 billion and get 10 attack submarines for roughly the price of nine.

At the same time, the state’s congressional delegation is preparing to argue for placing the cost of EB’s other major project, replacement of the Ohio class of ballistic-missile submarines, into a special budgetary category meant to relieve pressure on other Navy shipbuilding programs.

What this means for EB hiring is an increase in the trades jobs now at Quonset Point, R.I. and later in Groton. Engineering jobs in Groton and New London will continue to increase gradually.

U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy and U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney lauded the $2 billion in savings on Virginia-class construction during a press conference Monday at Electric Boat and celebrated the stability they say the $17.6 billion contract will bring to EB and to more than 350 submarine suppliers throughout the state.
http://www.theday.com/article/20140505/NWS09/140509858/1047