GA ranked among top 50 defense contractors
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/aug/10/generalatomics-defense/?st
The Predator C Avenger developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems in Poway is undergoing expanded flight testing.
GA ranked among top 50 defense contractors
By Gary Robbins
7:17 p.m.Aug. 10, 2014
San Diego-based General Atomics placed 45th on Defense News' annual list of the world's 100 largest defense contractors, a ranking heavily based on an affiliate's work on unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in Poway.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems develops Predator, a family of high altitude, long endurance UAS that have been been widely used in Iraq and Afghanistan. The firm is part of General Atomics, which is headquartered on the Torrey Pines Mesa in La Jolla, where the company focuses on next-generation nuclear reactors.
Defense News says that General Atomics obtained $2.1 billion in defense revenue in 2013, a drop of $311 million over a year earlier. The decline caused General Atomics to slip three spots in the rankings.
The No. 1 defense contractor is Lockheed Martin, which pulled in almost $40.5 billion last year. The company has about 11,000 employees worldwide, including roughly 250 in San Diego.