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                                                                  Exhibit 10


                              GERALD E. DANIELS

                            EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
                            --------------------


         THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of the 1st
day of April 2003, by and between ENGINEERED SUPPORT SYSTEMS, INC., a
Missouri corporation (hereinafter called "Employer"), and GERALD E. DANIELS
(hereinafter called "Employee").

         WHEREAS, Employee desires to be employed by Employer and Employer
desires to employ Employee under the terms and conditions set forth in this
Agreement; and

         WHEREAS, it is Employer's intention to employ Employee upon the
terms and conditions herein, which recognize and compensate Employee for the
obligations of Employee undertaken hereunder, including specifically, but
not by way of limitation, the agreement of Employee not to compete with the
business of Employer, as provided in paragraph 8, for the period provided in
paragraph 8 upon the cessation of Employee's employment by Employer for any
reason.

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the promises
and agreements herein contained, the parties agree as follows:

         1. Employment. Employer hereby employs Employee in the capacity of
            ----------
Chief Executive Officer and Employee hereby accepts such employment from
Employer upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth. This Agreement
replaces any and all other employment agreements by and between Employee and
Employer dated prior to the date of this Employment Agreement.

         2. Term of Employment; Termination. The term of Employee's
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employment under this Agreement shall be for the period commencing as of
April 1, 2003 and continuing through March 31, 2004, and thereafter this
Agreement shall be automatically renewable for successive one (1) year terms
unless either party gives written notice to the other party of his or its
intention not to renew this Agreement at least thirty (30) days prior to the
expiration of the initial term hereof or the then-current renewal term, as
the case may be. The employment of Employee shall terminate upon the
occurrence of any of the following events:

         (a) Upon the death of Employee.

         (b) At Employee's option, upon ninety (90) days written notice from
Employee to Employer.




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         (c) In the event of Employee's Disability (defined as the failure
substantially to discharge Employee's duties under this Agreement for ninety
(90) consecutive days or one hundred twenty (120) days in any calendar year,
whether or not consecutive, as a result of an injury, disease, sickness or
other physical or mental incapacity). A determination of Employee's
Disability shall be made by a qualified licensed physician chosen by the
Employer subject to Employee's approval, which approval shall not be
unreasonably withheld. In the event Employer and Employee cannot agree on
the choice of a physician, then such physician shall be chosen by the dean
of the St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, or if
said dean is unwilling or unable to do so, by the dean of another medical
school of recognized national repute. The cost of such determination shall
be borne by Employer, and in the absence of fraud or bad faith, shall be
binding on all parties hereto.

         (d) For cause upon seven (7) days written notice from Employer to
Employee. For purposes of this Agreement, "cause" shall mean the default in
Employee's faithful performance of the terms and conditions of this
Agreement or such other action which materially and adversely affects or is
materially detrimental to the operation of Employer's business as determined
by Employer's Board of Directors.

         Upon termination of this Agreement for any of the foregoing causes,
Employee shall be entitled to receive only the compensation accrued and
unpaid as of the effective date of termination and shall not be entitled to
additional compensation or other consideration except as otherwise expressly
provided in this Agreement, or such other compensation plans in effect in
which Employee is a vested participant at the time of termination.

         3. Duties of Employee. During Employee's employment by Employer,
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Employee shall serve Employer to the best of Employee's ability and shall
perform such duties and in such capacities as are assigned to Employee from
time to time by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Employer.
Employee agrees during such period to devote substantial time and efforts to
the business of Employer, and to be loyal and faithful at all times,
constantly endeavoring to improve Employee's ability and knowledge of the
business of Employer in an effort to increase the value of Employee's
services for the mutual benefit of Employee and Employer.

         4. Base Compensation. Subject to the other provisions of this
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Agreement and in consideration of services rendered hereunder, Employer
agrees to pay the Employee, for Employee's service during the term of
Employee's employment, a Base Salary as follows:

         For the period of April 1, 2003 through March 31, 2004, annual
compensation of Six Hundred Thousand Dollars ($600,000.00) payable in
bi-monthly installments of Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) on the
15th day and last day of each month, or upon such other installments as
agreed by Employee and Employer. Thereafter, if the term of this Agreement
is renewed, Employee's Base Salary will be reviewed and set annually by
Employer's Board of Directors.



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         5. Bonus Compensation.
            ------------------

         (a) In addition to the Base Compensation provided in Paragraph 4
hereof, Employer shall pay to Employee an annual bonus to be paid in full in
an amount equal to the amount applying the Bonus Formula contained in a
certain Bonus Plan for certain Executives of Engineered Support Systems,
Inc. dated October 5, 1999 adopted by the Compensation Committee of the
Board of Directors and as from time to time amended. Such amounts shall be
payable on, or before, October 31 for each fiscal year during the term of
this Agreement (subject to the right of Employee to defer his cash bonus
until the month of January of the next calendar year with Employer's consent
which consent shall not be reasonably withheld) and shall be at the sole
discretion of the Chairman upon the advise and counsel of the Compensation
Committee. The Employee's cash bonus for fiscal year 2003 shall be 50% of
his base salary, pro rata and his equity bonus shall be a minimum of 100,000
options with a strike price equal to the closing price of the Employer's
stock on April 1, 2003.

         (b) Employee shall be entitled to such other salary, bonuses or
deferred compensation pay as from time to time adopted by the Board of
Directors of Engineered Support Systems, Inc.

         6. Extent of Service. Employee will devote such time, attention and
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energy to the business as is reasonably necessary to perform his duties.

         7. Covenants of Employee.
            ---------------------

         (a) During the term of Employee's employment with Employer, and for
a period of two (2) years after the cessation of such employment, for
whatever reason, Employee covenants and agrees that Employee will not
(except as required in Employee's duties to Employer), in any manner
directly or indirectly:

                  (i)   Disclose or divulge to any person, entity, firm or
company whatsoever, or use for Employee's own benefit or the benefit of any
other person, entity, firm or company, directly or indirectly, in
competition with the business of Employer, as the same may exist at the date
of such cessation, any knowledge, formulae, devices, information, business
methods, techniques, customer lists, supplier lists, business plans or other
information or data of Employer, without regard to whether all of the
foregoing matters will otherwise be deemed confidential, material or
important, the parties hereto stipulating that as between them, the same are
important, material and confidential and greatly affect the effective and
successful conduct of the business and the goodwill of Employer.

                  (ii)  Solicit, divert, take away or interfere with any of
the customers, trade, business, patronage, employees or agents of Employer.

                  (iii) Engage, directly or indirectly, either personally or
as an employee, partner, associate, officer, manager, agent, advisor,
consultant or otherwise, or by means of any corporate or other entity or
device, in any business which is competitive (as hereinafter defined) with
the business of Employer.



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         (b) For purposes hereof, a business will be deemed competitive if
it is conducted in whole or in part within the continental United States and
if it involves the manufacture or sale of high-tech integrated military
electronics, support equipment for government or commercial use, logistic
services or any other business which is in any manner competitive, during or
as of the date of cessation of Employee's employment, with any business then
being conducted by Employer or as to which Employer has then formulated
definitive plans to enter.

         (c) All of the covenants on behalf of Employee contained in this
paragraph 7 shall be construed as agreements independent of any other
provision of this Agreement, and the existence of any claim or cause of
action against Employer, whether predicted on this Agreement or otherwise,
shall not constitute a defense to the enforcement by Employer of these
covenants.

         (d) It is the intention of the parties to restrict the activities
of Employee under this paragraph 7 to the extent necessary for the
protection of legitimate business interests of Employer, and the parties
specifically covenant and agree that should any of the clauses or provisions
set forth herein, under any set of circumstances not now foreseen by the
parties, be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal, invalid
or unenforceable under present or future laws effective during the term of
this Agreement, then and in that event, it is the intention of the parties
hereto that, in lieu of each such clause or provision there shall be
substituted or added, and there is hereby substituted or added, as a part of
this Agreement a clause or provision as similar in terms to such illegal,
invalid or unenforceable clause or provision as may be legal, valid and
enforceable.

         8. Expenses.
            --------

         (a) During the period of Employee's employment, Employer will pay
directly, or reimburse Employee, for reasonable and necessary expenses as
from time to time authorized by the Board of Directors of Employer and
incurred by Employee in the interest of the business of Employer. All such
expenses paid by Employee, will be reimbursed by Employer upon presentation
by Employee, from time to time, of an itemized account of such expenditures,
to the extent necessary to permit the deductibility thereof for Federal
income tax purposes in accordance with the from time to time company policy.

         (b) Employer agrees to pay for the monthly dues and charges for
Employee's country club membership and such other membership privileges as
are approved by Employer's Board of Directors. To the extent that any such
payments are not deductible as ordinary and necessary business expenses, in
accordance with the Internal Revenue Code, such expenditures will be treated
as additional salary to Employee.

         9. Automobile. During the period of this Agreement, Employer shall
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pay a car allowance as from time to time adopted by the Board of Directors.



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         10. Documents. Employee agrees that all documents, instruments,
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drawings, plans, contracts, proposals, records, notebooks, invoices,
statements and correspondence, including all copies thereof, relating to the
business of Employer shall be the property of Employer; and upon the
cessation of Employee's employment with Employer, for whatever reason, all
of the same then in Employee's possession, whether prepared by Employee of
others, will be left with or immediately delivered to Employer.

         11. Additional Employee Benefits. The Employee shall automatically
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become enrolled in the Employer's medical, life insurance, disability
income, profit sharing trust and 401(k) programs at such time as he becomes
eligible to participate in the respective programs pursuant to the terms of
the respective programs.

         12. Vacation. Employee shall be entitled to four (4) weeks paid
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vacation each calendar year.

         13. Remedies. In the event of the violation of Employee of any of
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the terms of this Agreement, notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained in this Agreement, Employer may terminate the employment of
Employee by written notice thereof to Employee and with compensation to
Employee only to the date of such termination. It is further agreed that any
breach or evasion of any of the terms of this Agreement by Employee will
result in immediate and irreparable injury to Employer and will authorize
recourse to injunction and/or specific performance as well as to all other
legal or equitable remedies to which Employer may be entitled. No remedy
conferred by and of the specific provisions of this Agreement is intended to
be exclusive of any other remedy, and each and every remedy shall be
cumulative and shall be in addition to every other remedy given hereunder or
now or hereafter existing at law or in equity. The election of any one or
more remedies by Employer shall not constitute a waiver of the right to
pursue other available remedies at any time or cumulatively from time to
time. Employee represents and admits that in the event of the cessation of
Employee's employment for any reason, Employee's experience and capabilities
are such that Employee can obtain employment in business engaged in other
lines or of a different nature, and that the enforcement of a remedy by way
of injunction will not prevent Employee from earning a livelihood. In the
event it becomes necessary for Employer to institute a suit at law or in
equity for the purpose of enforcing any of the provisions of this Agreement,
Employer shall be entitled to recover from Employee, Employer's reasonable
attorneys' fees plus court costs and expenses.

         14. Severability. All agreements and covenants herein contained are
             ------------
severable, and in the event any of them shall be held to be invalid or
unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, this Agreement shall
continue in full force and effect and shall be interpreted as if such
invalid agreement or covenant were not contained herein.

         15. Waiver or Modification. No amendment, waiver or modification of
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this Agreement or of any covenant, condition or limitation herein contained
shall be valid unless in writing and duly executed by the party to be
charged therewith, and no evidence of any amendment, waiver or modification
shall be offered or received in evidence in any



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proceeding, arbitration or litigation between the parties hereto arising out
of or affecting this Agreement, or the rights or obligations of the parties
hereunder, unless such amendment, waiver or modification is in writing, duly
executed as aforesaid, and the parties further agree that the provisions of
this paragraph may not be waived or modified except as herein set forth.
Failure of Employee or Employer to exercise or otherwise act with respect to
any rights granted hereunder in the event of a breach of any of the terms or
conditions hereof by the other party, shall not be construed as a waiver of
such breach, nor prevent Employee or Employer from thereafter enforcing
strict compliance with any and all of the terms and conditions hereof.

         16. Notices. All notices, requests, demands or other communications
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hereunder ("Notice") shall be in writing and shall be deemed given if
personally delivered or mailed by pre-paid United States registered or
certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed as follows:

                  If to Employer to:

                           Engineered Support Systems, Inc.
                           201 Evans Lane
                           St. Louis, Missouri 63121
                           Attention: David D. Mattern


                  If to Employee, to:

                           Gerald E. Daniels
                           16410 Wilson Creek Court
                           Chesterfield,  Missouri 63017

or to such other addresses as to which the parties hereto give Notice in
accordance with this Paragraph 16.

         17. Construction. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed
             ------------
and interpreted according to the laws of the State of Missouri,
notwithstanding the place of execution hereof, nor the performance of any
acts in connection herewith or hereunder in any other jurisdiction. For all
purposes hereof, reference to Employer shall include each and every direct
or indirect subsidiary and affiliated company of Employer.

         18. Assignability. The services to be performed by Employee
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hereunder are personal in nature and therefore Employee shall not assign his
rights or delegate his obligations under this Agreement, and any attempted
or purported assignment or delegation not herein permitted shall be null and
void.

         19. Successors. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 18, this
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Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of Employer
and Employee and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, legal
representatives, successors and assigns.



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         20. Severance Allowance. In the event that Employer terminates
             -------------------
Employee's employment for any reason except for cause, then in such event,
Employee shall be entitled to a severance allowance. This severance
allowance will be paid over a twelve (12) month period in accordance with
Employer's regular payroll schedule. During the first six months following
termination, the Employee will paid his full monthly base salary at such
level in effect as of the date of his termination. During the second six
months following termination, Employee will be paid fifty percent (50%) of
his monthly base salary as of the date of his termination. If Employer
terminates this Agreement for cause, then Employee shall not be entitled to
any severance payments.


         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement
as of the day and year first above written.


                                   "EMPLOYER"

                                   ENGINEERED SUPPORT SYSTEMS, INC.



                                   By: /s/ David D. Mattern
                                      -----------------------------------
                                      David D. Mattern, Secretary


                                    "EMPLOYEE"


                                    /s/ Gerald E. Daniels
                                    -------------------------------------
                                    Gerald E. Daniels