NASSCO Delivers the USNS Watkins to the U.S. Navy March 6, 2001 -- SAN DIEGO, CA -- National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO), a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), today announced the delivery of the USNS Watkins (T-AKR 315) to the U.S. Navy. The Watkins was delivered ahead of schedule, under target cost, and with zero discrepancies. The Watkins is the sixth new construction ship completed by NASSCO under the U.S. Navy's Strategic Sealift Program. A total of eight new construction ships and three ship conversions have been awarded to NASSCO under the 20-ship Strategic Sealift Program. All of the ships are being named for U.S. Army Medal of Honor recipients. This ship is named in honor of Army Master Sgt. Travis E. Watkins, (1920-1950), who was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions in the Korean War. The sealift new construction ships are large, medium-speed, roll-on, roll-off ships (LMSRs). The ships are assigned to the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, and are prepositioned to quickly deliver U.S. Army tanks, armored personnel carriers, tractor-trailers, and other equipment and supplies to potential areas of conflict around the world. The ships also provide surge sealift support of remote military actions. Their multi-use capabilities make these cargo ships among the most flexible ever built. The USNS Watkins is 950 feet in length, has a beam of 105 feet and displaces approximately 62,000 long tons when fully loaded. The ship has over 390,000 square feet of cargo carrying space. The gas turbine-powered ship will be able to sustain speeds up to 24 knots when fully loaded. On Saturday, March 10, at 9:00 a.m., NASSCO will launch the USNS Pomeroy, the seventh in the series of strategic sealift ships. The eighth ship is currently under construction on NASSCO's inclined building ways. NASSCO (www.nassco.com) is the only West Coast shipyard capable of building and repairing large ocean-going vessels for the Navy and commercial customers. The shipyard employs approximately 3,000 people in San Diego. General Dynamics (www.generaldynamics.com) of Falls Church, Virginia has leading market positions in shipbuilding and marine systems, land and amphibious combat systems, information systems, and business aviation. The corporation employs approximately 46,000 people worldwide and anticipates 2001 sales of approximately $11.5 billion.

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