General Dynamics builds federal IT presence

The acquisition-fueled rise of defense contractors as information technology players has been one of the most notable trends in the post-Cold War government market.

Lockheed Martin Corp. and Northrop Grumman Corp. have led the defense pack in accumulating federal IT mass. And they are still at it. Lockheed last month announced plans to acquire Affiliated Computer Services Inc.'s government operation, which specializes in outsourcing and managed services.

"If you look at the large defense companies, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman have acquired a pretty large footprint