1985, Another Milestone Acquisition

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Following the acquisition of EDS, GM acquired Hughes Aircraft Company, one of the leading defense electronics and satellite communications companies in the world. The new subsidiary remained independently managed and was re-named GM Hughes Electronics Corporation (GMHE). All GMHE assets were spun off in the 1990s as GM continued to sharpen its focus on core automotive operations.

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Hughes Electronics Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors Corporation, was formed on December 31, 1985, when General Motors acquired Hughes Aircraft Company from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Hughes Electronics consisted of Delco Electronics Corporation; Hughes Aircraft Company; Hughes Telecommunications and Space Company; Hughes Network Systems, Inc.; and DIRECTV, Inc.

GM sold off the aerospace and defense operations during the late 1990s; Hughes Aircraft was sold to Raytheon in 1997 and the Hughes Research Laboratories became jointly owned by Boeing, GM, and Raytheon. Raytheon has since sold its share to GM and Boeing, but remains a customer of Hughes Research Laboratories. Hughes Space and Communications Company was purchased by Boeing in 2000 and renamed Boeing Satellite Development Center. GM sold the remainder of Hughes Electronics to News Corporation which renamed the company DirecTV Group.







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