Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Organization

Organization. General Dynamics is organized into four business groups: Aerospace, which produces Gulfstream aircraft, provides aircraft services and performs aircraft completions for other original equipment manufacturers (OEMs); Combat Systems, which designs and manufactures combat vehicles, weapons systems and munitions; Marine Systems, which designs and constructs surface ships and submarines; and Information Systems and Technology, which provides communications and information technology products and services. Our primary customers are the U.S. military, other U.S. government organizations, the armed forces of other nations, and a diverse base of corporate and individual buyers of business aircraft.

Basis Of Consolidation And Classification

Basis of Consolidation and Classification. The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of General Dynamics Corporation and our wholly owned and majority owned subsidiaries. We eliminate all inter-company balances and transactions in the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Consistent with defense industry practice, we classify assets and liabilities related to long-term production contracts as current, even though some of these amounts are not expected to be realized within one year. In addition, some prior-year amounts have been reclassified among financial statement accounts to conform to the current-year presentation.

Use Of Estimates

Use of Estimates. The nature of our business requires that we make a number of estimates and assumptions in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). These estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. We base our estimates on historical and current experience and on various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition. We account for revenues and earnings using the percentage-of-completion method. Under this method, contract revenue and profit are recognized as the work progresses, either as the products are produced or as services are rendered. We determine progress using either input measures (e.g., costs incurred) or output measures (e.g., contract milestones or units delivered). We estimate the profit on a contract as the difference between the total estimated revenue and the total estimated costs of a contract and recognize that profit over the life of the contract. If at any time the estimate of contract profitability reveals an anticipated loss on the contract, we recognize the loss in the quarter it is identified.

We generally measure progress toward completion on contracts in our defense business based on the proportion of costs incurred to date relative to total estimated costs at completion. Our contracts for the manufacture of business-jet aircraft usually provide for two major phases: the manufacture of the "green" aircraft and its outfitting, which includes exterior painting and installation of customer-selected interiors. We record revenue at two contractual milestones: when green aircraft are delivered to, and accepted by, the customer and when the customer accepts final delivery of the fully outfitted aircraft.

We review and update our contract estimates regularly. We recognize changes in estimated profit on contracts under the reallocation method rather than the cumulative catch-up method. Under the reallocation method, the impact of revisions in estimates is recognized prospectively over the remaining contract term.

Discontinued Operations

Discontinued Operations. In 2010, we completed the sale of our nitrocellulose operation in Spain. The operating results of this business are presented as discontinued operations, net of income taxes, in 2009 and 2010. Net cash used by discontinued operations in these years consists primarily of cash used by the operating activities of this business prior to the sale.

In 2011, we recognized losses from the settlement of an environmental matter associated with a former operation of the company and our estimate of continued legal costs associated with the A-12 litigation as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision that extended the expected timeline associated with the litigation. Net cash used by discontinued operations in 2011 consists primarily of cash associated with the environmental settlement and A-12 litigation costs. See Note N to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further discussion of the A-12 litigation, which has been ongoing since 1991.

Research And Development Expenses

Research and Development Expenses. Research and development (R&D) expenses consisted of the following:

Year Ended December 31	2009		2010		2011
Company-sponsored R&D,including product development costs	$	360	$	325	$	372
Bid and proposal costs		160		183		173
Total company-sponsored R&D		520		508		545
Customer-sponsored R&D		405		548		667
Total R&D	$	925	$	1,056	$	1,212

R&D expenses are included in operating costs and expenses in the Consolidated Statement of Earnings in the period in which they are incurred. Customer-sponsored R&D expenses are charged directly to the related contract.

The Aerospace group has cost-sharing arrangements with some of its suppliers that enhance the group's internal development capabilities and offset a portion of the financial risk associated with the group's product development efforts. These arrangements explicitly state that supplier contributions are for reimbursements of costs we incur in the development of new aircraft models and technologies, and we retain substantial rights in the products developed under these arrangements. We record amounts received from these cost-sharing arrangements as a reduction of R&D expenses. We have no obligation to refund any amounts received under the agreement regardless of the outcome of the development effort. Under the terms of each agreement, payments received from suppliers for their share of the costs are based typically on milestones and are recognized as earned when we achieve a milestone event.

Net Interest

Net Interest. Net interest expense consisted of the following:

Year Ended December 31	2009		2010		2011
Interest expense	$	171	$	167	$	155
Interest income		(11)		(10)		(14)
Interest expense, net	$	160	$	157	$	141
Interest payments	$	137	$	168	$	133

Cash And Equivalents And Investments In Debt And Equity Securities

Cash and Equivalents and Investments in Debt and Equity Securities. We consider securities with a maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. We report our investments in available-for-sale securities at fair value. Changes in the fair value of available-for-sale securities are recognized as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income within shareholders' equity on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. We report our held-to-maturity securities at amortized cost. The interest income on these securities is a component of our net interest expense in the Consolidated Statement of Earnings. We had marketable securities and other investments totaling $325 on December 31, 2010, and $393 on December 31, 2011. These investments are included in other current and noncurrent assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheet (see Note D). We had no trading securities at the end of either period.

The contractual arrangements with certain international customers require us to maintain cash received from advance payments until applied to our activities associated with these contracts. These advances totaled approximately $245 on December 31, 2010, and $170 on December 31, 2011.

Long-Lived Assets

Long-lived Assets. We review long-lived assets, including intangible assets subject to amortization, for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable. We assess the recoverability of the carrying value of assets held for use based on a review of projected undiscounted cash flows. Impairment losses, where identified, are determined as the excess of the carrying value over the fair value of the long-lived asset.

Contract losses on narrow- and wide-body commercial aircraft contracts and lower volume in business-jet aircraft manufactured by other OEMs resulted in a review in the fourth quarter of 2011 of the long-lived assets of the completions business in our Aerospace business group. A decline in the discounted cash flows of the completions business during the remaining five-year life of our contract and program intangible asset resulted in a $111 impairment, eliminating the remaining value of the asset. This loss was reported in operating earnings.

We review goodwill for impairment annually or when circumstances indicate that an impairment is more likely than not. Goodwill represents the purchase price paid in excess of the fair value of net tangible and intangible assets acquired. The test for goodwill impairment is a two-step process to first identify potential goodwill impairment for each reporting unit and then, if necessary, measure the amount of the impairment loss. We completed the required goodwill impairment test during the fourth quarter of 2011 and did not identify any impairment. For a summary of our goodwill by reporting unit, see Note B.

Subsequent Events

Subsequent Events. We have evaluated material events and transactions that have occurred after December 31, 2011, and concluded that no subsequent events have occurred that require adjustment to or disclosure in this Form 10-K.