General Dynamics NASSCO Lays Keel of Ninth T-AKE Ship

SAN DIEGO --- General Dynamics NASSCO, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics, today laid the keel for the ninth dry cargo-ammunition ship in the U.S. Navy's T-AKE program. Construction of the ship began in April. The ship will be named later and is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy in the first quarter of 2010.>> NASSCO has delivered the first five ships of the T-AKE class and has construction contracts for five additional ships. The Navy is expected to order the construction of a total of 14 vessels.>>> Located in San Diego, NASSCO employs more than 4,800 people and is the only major ship construction yard on the West Coast of the United States. In addition to the T-AKE program, the shipyard is building the first three product carriers under a nine-ship order from U.S. Shipping Partners L.P.>> General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 84,600 people worldwide and anticipates 2008 revenues of approximately $29.5 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.>> -ends->