Connecticut’s Electric Boat is working on a submarine that could make 100 knots submerged

Imagine a craft that could make 100 knots underwater, with a propulsion system so compact and powerful that it would leave ample room for payloads — small combat teams bound for missions on the shore, for example.

Electric Boat, the Groton, Conn.-based submarine builder, is part of a team that won a Pentagon contract to explore the high-speed sub two years ago.

The progress has been encouraging enough to make it possible that such a craft will move from the research labs to open-water testing as early as 2010.

Much of the research work is being conducted at Pennsylvania State University’s research testing facilities.

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