General Dynamics Electric Boat has taken delivery of a new floating dry dock designated to support the construction of the US Navy’s Columbia-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines.
The mobile dock, named Atlas, will be stationed at the company’s South Yard Assembly Building in Groton, Connecticut. It will be used to transfer completed submarine hulls between facilities and support key milestones such as testing activities and ceremonial first water contact events.
The Atlas dry dock was developed by Bollinger Shipyards and officially christened in October 2025. The structure measures 618 feet in length, 140 feet in width, and stands 90 feet high.
The Columbia-class submarine program was launched in 2020 to replace the aging Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines that entered service in the 1980s. General Dynamics serves as the prime contractor for the program, which calls for the construction of 12 submarines.
The first two vessels, USS District of Columbia (SSBN 826) and USS Wisconsin (SSBN 827), are planned to enter service by 2031.
In November 2025, General Dynamics secured an additional $2.28 billion contract to accelerate the production of the next five Columbia-class submarines. Once operational, the new fleet will form a central pillar of the United States’ modernized nuclear deterrence strategy.
