CHARLOTTE, N.C., 14 December 2004. General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products has been awarded a $15 million contract from THALES Nederland for the production of Goalkeeper weapon systems. Deliveries will commence in February 2006 and extend through May 2006.

Goalkeeper is an extremely accurate gun-based system that protects ships against close-in, high-speed missiles and aircraft. The system combines a high-performance General Dynamics turret mount and seven-barrel 30mm Gatling gun with search-and-track radars and related computational electronics from THALES Nederland. The integrated radars automatically and continuously evaluate, prioritize and track multiple targets and precisely maneuver the 4,200 shot-per-minute 30mm Gatling gun to eliminate the threat.

Goalkeeper, a joint effort of THALES Nederland with General Dynamics, has been in production since the early 1980s. Program management, assembly and testing will all be performed at the General Dynamics Burlington Technology Center in Burlington, Vt.

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, located in Charlotte, N.C., 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. For more information see www.gdatp.com.

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 71,600 people worldwide and anticipates 2004 revenue in excess 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. For more information see www.generaldynamics.com.