General Dynamics

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General Dynamics (Template:Nyse) is a defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2005 it is the sixth largest defense contractor in the world [2]. The company has changed markedly in the post-Cold War era of defense consolidation. Nicholas D. Chabraja is the CEO.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Legacy and Acquisitions 1.2 Divestitures 2 Corporate governance 3 Product lines as of 2002 4 Subsidiaries 4.1 Aerospace 4.2 Combat Systems 4.3 Information Systems & Technology 4.4 Marine Systems 5 Financials 6 References 7 External links

History

Legacy and Acquisitions

• 1899 - Electric Boat was established and became General Dynamics in 1952
• 1953 - Convair merged with General Dynamics<ref name=cent>Template:Cite web</ref>
• 1971-1985 David S. Lewis, Jr., was chairman and chief executive officer. During his tenure, General Dynamics’ revenues and earnings quadrupled.
• 1982 - GD Combat Systems formed after acquisition of Chrysler's combat systems
• 1995 - Acquired Bath Iron Works, established in 1890
• 1998 - Acquired National Steel and Shipbuilding, established in 1905
• 1999 - Gulfstream Aerospace acquired from Forstmann Little, the company was founded in 1958
• 2001 - GD Decision Systems formed (and later merged with General Dynamics C4 Systems) after acquisition of Motorola's Integrated Information Systems Group
• 2002 - Acquired Advanced Technical Products
• 2003 - Acquired GM Defense from General Motors
• 2003 - Acquired Steyr Daimler Puch Spezialfahrzeug (SSF) from an Austrian investor group, which bought the company in 1998 from the Steyr-Daimler-Puch-conglomerate. SSF is now part of "General Dynamics European Land Combat Systems" which includes also the spanish Santa Bárbara Sistemas and the swiss MOWAG, and has its headquarters in Vienna, Austria.
• 2003 - Acquired Veridian.

Divestitures

• Coal mining
• Building materials
• Limestone
• Concrete
• 1991 - Data Systems Division outsourced to Computer Sciences Corp.
• 1992 - Tactical Missiles Division to Hughes Electronics.
• 1992 - Cessna to Textron
• 1993 - Fixed wing military aircraft to Lockheed Martin
• 1993 - Space Systems Division to Martin Marietta
• 1994 - Convair's aerostructures unit to McDonnell Douglas, (Convair closed in 1996).

Corporate governance

Current members of the board of directors of General Dynamics are: Nicholas Chabraja, James Crown, Lester Crown, William Fricks, Charles Goodman, Jay Johnson, George Joulwan, Paul Kaminski, John Keane, Lester Lyles, Carl Mundy, and Robert Walmsley.

Product lines as of 2002

• Aerospace
  • Gulfstream business aircraft
• Combat Systems - land and amphibious military vehicles e.g.
  • M1 Tank
  • EFV
  • the Stryker light armored vehicle
  • Interim Armored Vehicle
• Information Systems and Technology

General Dynamics Information Systems & Technology (IS&T) is a leading integrator of systems, technology and products that create decisive advantages for its military and government customers' communication and information management needs.

They integrate commercial off-the-shelf and custom-engineered products to deliver command, control, communications, computing, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) solutions; provide information-assurance solutions; offer advanced software and electronics systems-development services; and design, engineer, install and support networks globally.

Partnering with the defense community and applying world-class technology, engineering and program management capabilities, General Dynamics delivers integrated low-risk, high-value 'systems of systems' that enable their customers to achieve their missions.

• Marine Systems
  
  • Seawolf class SSNs
  • Los Angeles class SSNs
  • Ohio class SSBNs
  • Arleigh Burke class destroyers

Subsidiaries

Aerospace

• General Dynamics Aviation Services
• Gulfstream Aerospace

Combat Systems

• European Land Combat Systems
• General Dynamics Land Systems
• General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products
• General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems

Information Systems & Technology

• General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems
• General Dynamics C4 Systems
• General Dynamics Network Systems
• General Dynamics United Kingdom
• General Dynamics Wireless Systems

Marine Systems

• American Overseas Marine
• Bath Iron Works
• Electric Boat
• National Steel and Shipbuilding

Financials

General Dynamics has about $12 billion in sales, primarily military, but also civilian with its Gulfstream Aerospace unit and conventional ship-building and repair with its National Steel and Shipbuilding subsidiary.

In 2004 General Dynamics bid for the UK company Alvis Vickers, the leading British manufacturer of armoured vehicles. In March the board of Alvis Vickers voted in favour of the £309m takeover. However at the last minute BAE Systems offered £355m for the company in what was seen as a move to keep General Dynamics out of its "back yard". This deal was finalised in June 2004.

General Dynamics has tried to acquire Newport News Shipbuilding but been blocked by regulators and competitors.

Controlled subsidiaries of the corporation are donors to the Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute ^[3].

Current stock price as of 4/2/05 is $63, after splitting in 3/24/06.

References

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• Patents owned by General Dynamics Corporation. US Patent & Trademark Office. URL accessed on 5 December 2005.

External links

• General Dynamics Corporation website
• Yahoo! - General Dynamics Corporation Company Profile

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