The Nation - News from March 11, 1987

General Dynamics Corp. vaulted into first place last year as the nation’s largest defense contractor, winning contracts valued at $8 billion, the Pentagon reported. The St. Louis-based corporation easily reclaimed the top position it last held in fiscal 1983, surpassing General Electric Co. and McDonnell Douglas Corp. by more than $1 billion in contracts won. The rankings were in the Pentagon’s report on the “Top 100” defense contractors.