Friday, defense contractor General Dynamics (GD) said its subsidiary General Dynamics Electric Boat was awarded a $23.7 million contract modification by the U.S. Navy to prepare for the post-shakedown availability on the nuclear submarine USS New Hampshire.
The post-shakedown availability, or PSA, is assigned to correct deficiencies found during the shakedown cruise, a sail to test the performance of the ship's systems, and comprises of maintenance, repairs, and alterations. USS New Hampshire was delivered to the Navy on 28 August, 2008 after completion of sea trials.
General Dynamics said the PSA would be performed in Groton and is expected to begin in February. The work is scheduled for completion in September 2010.
The contract to build New Hampshire, the fifth ship of the Virginia Class, was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics in August 2003. The ship was sponsored by the widow of Thomas McGuinness, co-pilot of American Airlines Flight 11 that was slammed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Construction of the ship began in January 2004 and the submarine was launched in February 2008.
Electric Boat and its construction teammate Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding have received contracts to produce a total of 18 Virginia-class submarines, General Dynamics revealed.
GD is losing $0.38 or 0.56%, and is trading at $67.18 on a volume of 396 thousand shares on the New York Stock Exchange.
For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com