FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * CROWN JAMES S   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol GENERAL DYNAMICS CORP [GD] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) 222 N LASALLE STREET, STE 2000 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 03/04/2009 (Street) CHICAGO, IL 60601 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 03/04/2009   A(1)   960 A $ 0 38,530 (2) D   Common Stock               5,424,092 I See ftn. (3) Common Stock               2,511,144 I See ftn. (4) Common Stock               7,753,112 I See ftn. (5) Common Stock               304,800 I See ftn. (6)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Stock Options

$ 40.09

03/04/2009

A

5,550

03/04/2010

03/03/2014

Common Stock

5,550

$ 0 (1)

26,430

D

Stock Options

$ 40.09

03/04/2009

A

5,550

03/04/2011

03/03/2014

Common Stock

5,550

$ 0 (1)

31,980

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
CROWN JAMES S 222 N LASALLE STREET STE 2000 CHICAGO, IL 60601	X

Signatures

/s/ James S. Crown		03/06/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Grant pursuant to Rule 16b-3(c).
(2)	2,415 of these Common Stock shares are shares of restricted stock, 1,455 of which were reported in previous Form 4s.
(3)	Owned by a partnership, Henry Crown and Company (Not Incorporated), of which the Reporting Person is a partner.
(4)	Owned by a partnership, Areljay, L.P., of which the Reporting Person is a beneficiary of a trust which is a partner, and a director, officer and shareholder of a corporation which is a partner.
(5)	Owned by a partnership, The Crown Fund, of which the Reporting Person is a partner.
(6)	Owned by a partnership, Crown Fund II, of which the Reporting Person is a partner.
Remarks: The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares described in Footnotes 3 through 6, except to the extent of his beneficial ownership in the entities which own such shares.

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