EXHIBIT 31.1


                               CERTIFICATIONS

         I, Gerald E. Daniels, certify that:

1.   I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Engineered Support
     Systems, Inc.

2.   Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any untrue
     statements of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
     necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances
     under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to
     the period covered by this annual report;

3.   Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
     information included in this annual report, fairly present in all
     material respects the financial condition, results of operations and
     cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in
     this annual report.

4.   The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
     establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
     defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14) for the registrant and
     have:

        a)   Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
             disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our
             supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the
             registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made
             known to us by others within those entities, particularly during
             the period in which this annual report is being prepared;

        b)   Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure
             controls and procedures and presented in this report our
             conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls
             and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this
             report;

        c)   Disclosed in this report, any change in the registrant's
             internal control over financial reporting that occurred during
             the registrant's most recent fiscal quarter that has
             materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect,
             the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

5.   The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based
     on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant's auditors and the
     audit and finance committee of the registrant's board of directors (or
     persons performing the equivalent functions):

        a)   All significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal
             controls which could adversely affect the registrant's ability to
             record, process, summarize and report financial data and have
             identified for the registrant's auditors any material weaknesses
             in internal controls; and

        b)   Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
             other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's
             internal controls.

Date:  January 30, 2004

                                 /s/  Gerald E. Daniels
                                 -----------------------------------------
                                 Gerald E. Daniels
                                 Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer