Coast Guard Commandant Declares General Dynamics-Built Rescue 21 System “Operationally Ready”
Rescue 21 Is Operating in 11 U.S. Regions and Covers 12,000 Miles of Coastline

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen, in a recent visit to General Dynamics C4 Systems, said the Rescue 21 program is operationally ready. Rescue 21 is now the Coast Guard’s primary command, control and communication system and is effectively locating vessels in distress and helping the Coast Guard rescue mariners in the regions in which it is deployed. During his visit to General Dynamics, Admiral Allen met with employees who work on the system, participated in a program review and toured the Rescue 21 production facility.

"With every rescue made and life saved, we are seeing the return on our investment in Rescue 21,” said U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen. “Rescue 21 is helping the Coast Guard take the ‘search’ out of search and rescue. We're proud of the strong partnership we have developed with General Dynamics to put this vital lifesaving tool into the hands of Coast Guard men and women."

The Coast Guard recently announced acceptance of Rescue 21 at Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville, Fla., bringing total system deployment to 11 regions, including Atlantic City and Eastern Shore, N.J.; Mobile, Ala., St. Petersburg, Fla., and Port Angeles and Seattle, Wash. The Rescue 21 system is also covering the waters of Delaware Bay, Del., Long Island Sound, N.Y., New York City and Hampton Roads, Va. In addition, it’s providing coverage in a critical area of New Orleans where the system was installed early in response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In total, Rescue 21 is providing life-saving communication coverage of more than 12,700 miles of coastline.

Once fully implemented, Rescue 21 will provide communications along the U.S. coastline, Great Lakes region, Hawaii, Guam and San Juan. The system is expected to be complete in 2011 and will replace the Coast Guard’s aging National Distress and Response system built in the 1970s.

General Dynamics C4 Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), is the prime contractor for the Rescue 21 program. More information about Rescue 21 is available on the Internet at www.gdc4s.com/rescue21.

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 83,500 people worldwide and reported 2007 revenues of $27.2 billion. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies. More information about the company is available on the Internet at www.generaldynamics.com.