GM Executive to Run Hughes’ Missile Unit

Hughes Aircraft has named Michael T. Smith--a longtime executive at the firm’s parent, General Motors--vice chairman and president of its new missile systems sector.

Smith is the highest-ranking GM executive to be installed at Hughes. Former IBM executive C. Michael Armstrong was named chairman this year. Smith, 48, was also elected to the board of GM Hughes Electronics Corp., Hughes’ owner.

Hughes also announced that it is forming a new subsidiary to direct its own missile operations and those that it is acquiring from General Dynamics. Hughes said Smith will name an executive to integrate the two missile operations.

Hughes also named Edwin L. Biggers as assistant sector executive of the missile business. Biggers is president of the missile systems group, which will be folded into the new sector.

Jeffrey E. Grant, president of the company’s industrial electronics group, will replace Smith as acting president of the commercial/industrial sector.

Smith, a 20-year employee of GM, joined Hughes in 1986 as senior vice president of finance after serving as vice president and chief financial officer of GM Hughes Electronics.