General Dynamics (GD) on Wednesday announced Danny Deep will be the company’s next CEO effective Jan. 1, 2027, succeeding Phebe Novakovic, who has been the company’s top executive and chairman since January 2013.
Deep has been president of GD since December 2025 and was elected to the company’s board in August. Novakovic will become executive chairman.
“Danny is a highly skilled executive with rich operating experience,” Novakovic said in a statement. “It has been a pleasure working closely with him and I am certain he will be an outstanding CEO.”
Deep is a 25-year veteran of GD. Before his current role as president, he was executive vice president for Global Operations. He has also led the company’s Combat Systems segment and its Land Systems business.
“Phebe has been an extraordinary leader for General Dynamics, and I am grateful for the close partnership we’ve shared and the opportunity to continue working together in the future,” Deep said in a statement.
GD is a major player in the U.S. nuclear enterprise, with its businesses spanning the sea- and land-based legs of the nuclear triad. General Dynamics Electric Boat is the lead contractor for the Navy’s Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarines, which will replace the Ohio-class fleet as the sea-based leg of the triad, while General Dynamics Mission Systems provides strategic weapons and fire-control systems for the Trident II D5 missile and is part of the industry team supporting the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile program.
GD also is involved in the Navy’s Virginia-class attack submarine program, including submarines that are expected to carry the nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile or SLCM-N.
