FALLS CHURCH, Va. – A big increase in sales fueled by acquisitions led to a strong first quarter for defense conglomerate General Dynamics, which earned $269 million in the first three months of 2004, a 22 percent increase.

The earnings of $1.34 a share easily beat the consensus estimate of $1.19 a share from analysts surveyed by Thomson One Analytics. General Dynamics is the parent company of Maine shipbuilder Bath Iron Works.

The earnings increase came on a 39 percent increase in sales, from $3.42 billion in the year-ago quarter to $4.76 billion this year.