Corporate Overview
General Dynamics is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and mission-critical information systems and technology.
The company was formed in 1952 through the combination of the Electric Boat Company, Consolidated Vultee (CONVAIR) and several others. Since then, we have been a leader of innovation and creativity in the marine, aerospace, defense, communications and electronics industries.
The company grew organically and through acquisitions until the early 1990s, when we sold many of our defense-related businesses. We began expanding again in 1995, by acquiring additional shipyards and combat vehicle-related businesses. In 1997 we started buying companies that are expert in information-technology products and services. In 1999 we acquired Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., a global leader of the business-jet aircraft industry, and we expanded our business-jet service capabilities through the acquisition of Jet Aviation in 2008.
Since 1997 we have acquired more than 50 companies. Our revenue has grown from $4 billion to approximately $32 billion in that time and our workforce has increased from 29,000 to approximately 90,000 employees today.
Learn more about our capabilities.
Our Organization
The company is organized into four business groups: Aerospace, Combat Systems, Information Systems and Technology and Marine Systems. Each business group is a leader in the markets it serves, as a result of the careful development of a portfolio of relevant, affordable products and services. Each group comprises several business units. To learn more about each business group and its business units, please click through the links below.
Return to topBalanced Business Model
The company executes its strategic plans in the framework of a balanced business model that gives the leaders of individual business units great operational flexibility. This enables our business units to stay close to their customers and to be responsive to changing customer needs and opportunities created by advances in technology.
Another result of this model is that General Dynamics business units are responsible for supporting themselves with the administrative services they need to achieve their goals. Among these are human resources, supply-chain management, marketing and business development.
Our corporate leaders are responsible for setting the overall direction of the business and for the allocation of capital. The corporation's headquarters organization supports the business units and is structured to fulfill our legal, financial and regulatory responsibilities as efficiently as possible.
Return to topStrength On Your Side®
Our business units understand their customers' requirements. They meet those requirements by providing a carefully tailored portfolio of relevant, affordable market-leading products and services. Our business units also are empowered to make decisions that help them evolve as their customers' requirements change. These elements distinguish General Dynamics as a leader. That's what we mean when we say Strength On Your Side.
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