General Dynamics NASSCO Delivers USNS Wally Schirra

SAN DIEGO – General Dynamics NASSCO, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), today delivered USNS Wally Schirra (T-AKE 8) to the U.S. Navy. The ship is named in honor of the fifth American launched into space, Navy Captain Walter M. “Wally” Schirra, Jr.

Construction of the USNS Wally Schirra began in October 2007. The 689-foot-long ship will serve under the Navy’s Military Sealift Command and will soon begin delivering as much as 10,000 tons of dry cargo and petroleum products at one time to U.S. and allied ships at sea.

“As demonstrated on the very successful sea trials four weeks ago, the Wally Schirra is superb in fit and finish, and ready for immediate service,” said Frederick J. Harris, president of General Dynamics NASSCO. “The Schirra and the other T-AKEs fulfill a vital naval logistics role. NASSCO will continue to support that critical Navy mission through the timely delivery of these high-quality, versatile ships in the future.”

Including the Wally Schirra, NASSCO has delivered eight T-AKEs, which are also known as Lewis and Clark-class ships. NASSCO has construction contracts for four additional ships and long-lead material contracts for two more ships for a total class of 14 T-AKE vessels.

General Dynamics NASSCO employs more than 4,500 people and is the only major ship construction yard on the West Coast of the United States. In addition to T-AKE construction, the San Diego shipyard is also building three commercial product carriers for American Petroleum Tankers, a shipbuilding joint venture led by the Blackstone Financial Group. More information about NASSCO can be found at www.nassco.com.

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 92,000 people worldwide. 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 General Dynamics is available online at www.gd.com.

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