Submarines, Tanks and Private Jets: The Strange Empire of General Dynamics
A nuclear-powered submarine, an Abrams tank and a Gulfstream business jet look like they belong to completely different worlds. One company connects them all: General Dynamics. Its story includes the first practical submarines, a famous fighter it no longer owns, a dramatic downsizing and a comeback built on acquisitions. Our new documentary explains how the pieces fit.
Key facts
- Heritage goes back to Electric Boat, founded in 1899; the US Navy accepted USS Holland the following year
- Electric Boat built USS Nautilus, the first nuclear-powered submarine, launched in 1954
- General Dynamics was incorporated in 1952 as the parent of Electric Boat
- The F-16 began at General Dynamics, but the Fort Worth fighter business was sold in 1993 and became part of Lockheed
- Third quarter 2026: revenue of about $14.6 billion and a backlog of about $220.3 billion
The fighter it sold
Many people are surprised to learn the F-16 was a General Dynamics aircraft. In the restructuring of the early 1990s the company sold several major businesses and kept military vehicles and submarines at its core. Growth returned later through acquisitions, including Gulfstream in 1999.
Submarines built by a team
Virginia-class submarines are built by Electric Boat together with Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding. The Columbia class, which will replace the Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarines, has Electric Boat as prime contractor. The documentary stresses that a contract award, a launch and a delivery are very different milestones.
Abrams, Stryker and Gulfstream
The modernised M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams updates a familiar platform with new electrical architecture. The eight-wheeled Stryker is not “an Abrams on wheels” but a family of vehicles for different roles. Gulfstream’s G700 and G800 serve a completely different market, yet depend on the same disciplines of engineering, certification and support.
What a $220 billion backlog means
Backlog is contracted future work, not cash in hand or equipment delivered. Turning it into ships, vehicles and aircraft depends on shipyard capacity, skilled labor and suppliers.
Watch the full series
This article accompanies our documentary on YouTube. The complete Defense Company Documentaries series follows eight of the best-known defense and aerospace companies, from Lockheed Martin and RTX to ASELSAN and HAVELSAN. Subscribe to DefenseandTech on YouTube so you don’t miss the next episode.
Editorial reference date: 2 November 2026. Figures come from company reports published by that date.
