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General Dynamics Receives $3 Million for Lightweight Machine Gun and Ammunition Phase 1 Design

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has been awarded a $3 million contract from the U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) Joint Service Small Arms Program (JSSAP), Picatinny Arsenal (Dover, N.J.), for Phase I design of the Lightweight Machine Gun and Ammunition (LMGA). This competitive design phase extends for nine months and will result in the selection of a single system contractor for Phase 2 fabrication and testing, and Phase 3 final testing. Total value for all phases is estimated at $31.9 million.

The LMGA program aims to reduce weapon weight by 35 percent and ammunition weight carried by the infantryman by over 40 percent, while taking up less volume. The program also aims to improve ergonomics, reduce training and maintenance time, and ensure compatibility with the Future Force Warrior (FFW) Soldier System.

Lead system integration, design development, and project management will occur at General Dynamics’ Burlington Technology Center in Vermont. Major teammates include Knight Armament Company (Titusville, Fla.) for weapon co-development and manufacture, and General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (Marion, Ill.) for ammunition design and manufacture. General Dynamics will also work with ARDEC in the areas of propellant and caseless ammunition technology.

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products provides a broad range of system solutions for military and commercial applications. The company designs, develops and produces high-performance armament systems; a full range of advanced composite-based products; biological and chemical detection systems; and mobile shelter systems. More information about General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products can be found on the World Wide Web at www.gdatp.com.

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, employs approximately 68,400 people worldwide and anticipates 2004 revenue of $19 billion. The company is a market leader in mission-critical information systems and technologies; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and business aviation.

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Any "forward-looking statements" contained in this press release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

General Dynamics Corporation (ticker: GD, exchange: NYSE)
News Release - Wednesday, June 30, 2004
Press Contact: (704) 714-8014