General Dynamics

General Dynamics holds the most strategically important monopoly in American defense: it is the sole builder of U.S. nuclear submarines. Electric Boat, the company's submarine division based in Groton, Connecticut, is the only facility in the Western world capable of constructing nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines and attack submarines. This monopoly makes it impossible for the government to hold General Dynamics accountable through competition — if the Navy needs submarines, it must buy from General Dynamics, at whatever price General Dynamics sets. The $110 billion Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine program is the Pentagon's top acquisition priority and General Dynamics' most important contract. The Columbia class will replace the aging Ohio-class submarines that carry the sea-based leg of America's nuclear triad. The program is years behind schedule and over budget, with the Navy acknowledging that the first boat will be delivered late. Yet cancellation or rebidding is impossible — there is no other submarine builder, and allowing the Ohio-class boats to retire without replacement would eliminate America's most survivable nuclear deterrent. The Virginia-class attack submarine program ($80 billion) runs in parallel, with the Navy wanting to build two per submarine year to counter the growing Chinese submarine fleet. General Dynamics and Huntington Ingalls (the only other nuclear shipbuilder, but one that depends on General Dynamics for submarine design) split production, but both facilities face labor shortages that limit production rates. Congress has appropriated billions for submarine construction that the shipyards physically cannot spend fast enough — the rare case where political support outpaces industrial capacity. General Dynamics' political power is amplified by geography. Its submarine shipyards in Connecticut and Virginia are in the districts of some of the most powerful members of Congress. Connecticut's congressional delegation — including members of the Armed Services and Appropriations committees — are reliable advocates for submarine spending because Electric Boat is the state's largest employer. This geographic advantage creates a built-in lobbying force that requires no PAC spending to activate. Beyond submarines, General Dynamics builds Abrams tanks (through its Land Systems division), Gulfstream business jets (the preferred aircraft of corporate executives and government VIPs), and operates a large IT services division serving federal agencies. The Gulfstream connection is particularly notable: the same company that builds weapons for the military builds luxury jets for the executives and government officials who decide what weapons to buy. The company's 30 revolving door connections are concentrated among Navy admirals who oversaw submarine programs before joining General Dynamics' board or consulting network. The company employs 35 lobbyists and spent $8 million on lobbying in 2024, primarily targeting members of the armed services and appropriations committees from shipbuilding states. General Dynamics' PAC donates heavily to the Connecticut and Virginia delegations, reinforcing the geographic alliance that protects its programs.