GD to provide services for Aegis missile defense

General Dynamics Corp. will provide support systems engineering and program management for the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense under a new contract worth up to $191 million over five years, if all options are exercised.

General Dynamics Information Technology ? a business unit of General Dynamics ? won the contract from the Naval Sea Systems Command.

The Missile Defense Agency runs the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense program. General Dynamics will provide production, fleet introduction and fleet operations and support for the program. The company also will provide test and evaluation engineering management and safety, quality and mission assurance engineering. It will also support international programs, including foreign military sales and cooperative development.

General Dynamics, based in Falls Church, Va., has provided similar services to the Aegis program and its predecessor since 1999. The company first began its work with the Navy to define and develop the Navy's missile defense program with its inception in the early 1990s.

Aegis provides the capability for the Navy Aegis cruisers and destroyers to detect, track, intercept and defeat short-, medium- and long-range ballistic missiles.

General Dynamics ranks No. 7 on Washington Technology's 2007 Top 100 list of the largest federal government prime contractors.