General Dynamics – The Defender

In the world of modern military contracting, giants such as Lockheed and Boeing immediately come to mind. But back in the era of Cold War defense spending, one company stood out, reaching the number one spot in terms of sales in the 1980s – General Dynamics. With divisions spanning ground, naval and air based weapons platforms, the company grew from its origins in submarine manufacturing to its dominant position by mastering the process of government contracting through strategic technology acquisition and a streamlined project management system that delivered consistent results – if not at the lowest price. Given its reach and long history since its origins in the late 19th century, General Dynamics offers a revealing glimpse at the true inner workings of the military industrial complex.

Myth of the 20th Century – Episode 211 – General Dynamics – The Defender

— References —

• Brotherhood of Arms: General Dynamics and the Business of Defending America, Goodwin (1985)
• The Defender: The Story of General Dynamics, Franklin (1986)
• The Ordeal of Lester Crown, Tamarkin (1986) – https://www.nytimes.com/1986/12/07/magazine/the-ordeal-of-lester-crown.html
• The Legend of Electric Boat, Rodengen (1995)
• Century of the Self, Curtis (2002)
• The Aviator, Scorsese (2004)
• Skunkworks – Lockheed’s Legacy, Myth of the 20th Century (2019) – https://myth20c.wordpress.com/2019/03/20/skunkworks-lockheeds-legacy/
• F-35 Joint Strike Fighter – a Lockheed Insider’s Story, Myth of the 20th Century (2019) – https://myth20c.wordpress.com/2019/07/18/f-35-joint-strike-fighter-a-lockheed-insiders-story/