Myth of the 20th Century: 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

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One comment

  1. Great episode. Fascinating history of General Dynamic, especially the bits about its predecessor, the Electric Boat Works. So, the Irish pushed for a functional submarine to attack the British Navy, eh? Pretty ballsy move. Reminds me of a saying I once heard: “The English invented whiskey so that the Irish would not conquer the world.”

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