General Dynamics Electric Boat has accepted the floating dry dock tasked with supporting the construction of the US Navy’s Columbia-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines.
Named “Atlas,” the dock will be ported at the company’s South Yard Assembly Building in Groton, Connecticut, where it will move in between facilities to receive built vessels for testing and ceremonies such as first water contact.
Bollinger Shipyards, developer of the Atlas, christened the mobile dock in October 2025.
It is 618 feet (188 meters) long, 140 feet (43 meters) wide, and 90 feet (27 meters) high.
Columbia Fleet Progress
The US Navy’s incoming Columbia-class program was initiated in 2020 to replace the service’s 1980s-era Ohio-class submarines.
The prime contract for this effort was awarded to General Dynamics, with 12 hulls planned for production.
The lead and second platforms of this series, the USS District of Columbia (SSBN 826) and USS Wisconsin (SSBN 827), are scheduled to be commissioned by 2031.
In November 2025, General Dynamics accepted a fresh $2.28-billion contract to fast-track assembly of the next five Columbia ships.
Once fielded, the new fleet will play a critical role in Washington’s strategy for modern nuclear warfare.
