ASDS Woes & Electric Boat Layoffs Leading to Rebidding Pressure

ASDS on USS Charlotte The U.S. Navy’s Advanced SEAL Delivery System (ASDS) program faces budgetary, performance, and timeline problems. The gaps are large and serious, and so it should be no surprise that political fallout has begun. US Congressional Rep. Rob Simmons [R-CT], said recently that the potential layoff of 2,000 workers at Electric Boat in Groton, CT only underscores the urgency in having the US Department of Defense rebid the U.S. Navy’s Advanced SEAL Delivery System (ASDS) program [his words]. Like the ASDS program itself, to say that the current situation at General Dynamics Electric Boat is not good is something of an understatement. (click for SSN 711) The Norwich Bulletin reports that up to 2,000 Electric Boat jobs will be eliminated by the end of 2006. Recent company projections suggest the workforce reduction will be in the area of 1,900 to 2,400 by the end of 2006, and the first wave of 150-170 job losses will cut across all sectors of the company. Decisions on the rest of the job losses will be announced later next year. Three factors are driving the reduction in the company’s workforce. One of the biggest impacts is the U.S. navy’s decision to […]