General Dynamics Mission Systems (General Dynamics) has made speed to capability our core operating premise, bringing a mindset of agility and responsiveness to our customers and partners. Many of our sites and our people come from a small business heritage. Rather than changing that mindset, we are embracing it—constantly disrupting ourselves and challenging assumptions about how things “must be done.”
SUBMARINE COMBAT SYSTEMS
US submarine combat systems are developed in a competitive, thriving ecosystem where innovation is constant. The need for submarines to stay operational and at-sea makes long design cycles and extensive overhauls to update shipboard infrastructure (i.e. cabling and hardware) unacceptable. Our Progeny Systems business area, which had its origins as a small business, is a leader in architecting the next generation of capability using several key principles:
- Minimizing hardware dependencies by containerizing our software and operating in a resilient cloud-like environment. Breaking the link between software and dedicated processing hardware allows us to forward- and back-fit new capabilities across platforms as fast as they can be developed. Some examples include new sensing algorithms, improved cyber security products, and AI decision aids.
- Defining and publishing interfaces so subject matter experts outside of General Dynamics can bring the capability the Navy needs. We publish interface standards for payloads and sensors so we can integrate the best industry has to offer.
- Agility in contracting and execution means recognizing that, even within a short-cycle design, the fleet may need different capabilities, changes, or fixes prioritized. Our teams operate in two-week sprint cycles as opposed to traditional multi-year designs.
AUTONOMOUS MARITIME PLATFORMS
Autonomous underwater vehicle technologies are evolving faster than ever, and the US and its allies must be able to execute their missions with cutting-edge, reliable solutions. To deliver these critical capabilities when they are needed, the Bluefin® team combines the resources of a large defense contractor with the agility of a technology startup using these core tenets:
- Modular software for command and control using the Bluefin Huxley vehicle autonomy architecture. This enables the reuse of vehicle command and control software across all Bluefin UUV platforms, supporting low-cost, low-risk, rapid deployments of capabilities to the field.
- Expertise in the integration of deepwater energy solutions enables seamless trading between endurance, speed, weight and space, and ensures safe operations in any mission context.
- Rapid prototyping allows our team to iterate quickly through any design. This is done in our Quincy, Massachusetts location, which pairs cutting-edge advanced manufacturing with waterfront access for immediate at-sea testing throughout the design cycle.
- Experienced multi-disciplinary engineering and manufacturing teams work collaboratively to transition prototypes into production, quickly delivering high-quality capabilities at high volume.
Across our maritime business, we are embracing a small business mindset and prioritizing speed to capability to ensure that our warfighters have the critical tools they need, when they need them. Whether it’s minimizing hardware dependencies, refining contracting and execution practices, or rapid prototyping, General Dynamics Mission Systems remains steadfast in its commitment to deliver technology and modernized systems to the warfighter at a pace that outperforms our adversaries.
This spotlight appeared in ON&T Magazine’s 2026 January Special Edition, The Future of Ocean Technology Vol. 6, to read more access the magazine here.
