UNITED STATES
                     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, DC 20549

                                  FORM 8-K

                               CURRENT REPORT
   Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934



Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)       February 7, 2005
                                                ------------------------------


                      ENGINEERED SUPPORT SYSTEMS, INC.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

        MISSOURI                         0-13880               43-1313242
(State of Incorporation)          (Commission File No.)      (IRS Employer
                                                           Identification No.)


201 Evans Lane, St. Louis, Missouri                               63121
(Address of principal executive officer)                       (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number including area code:  (314) 553-4000



Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of
the following provisions:

[  ]  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act
      (17 CFR 230.425)

[  ]  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act
      (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

[  ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
      Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[  ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
      Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))









Item 5.02         Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of
                  Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers.

                  On February 7, 2005, Engineered Support Systems, Inc.
                  issued a press release announcing the appointment of James
                  A. Schaefer to its Board of Directors. A copy of that press 
                  release is filed as an exhibit to this report and is 
                  incorporated here by reference.



Item  9.01        Financial Statements and Exhibits.

                  (c) The following exhibit is filed as part of this report:

                  Exhibit Number                   Description
                  --------------                   -----------

                       99            Press Release dated February 7, 2005,
                                     issued by Engineered Support Systems, Inc.













                                 SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                             ENGINEERED SUPPORT SYSTEMS, INC.



Date:    February 7, 2005           BY: /s/  Gary C. Gerhardt
     -------------------------          ----------------------------------------
                                             Gary C. Gerhardt
                                             Vice Chairman and Chief Financial
                                              Officer







                                EXHIBIT INDEX


         Exhibit Number                    Description
         --------------                    -----------

              99            Press release dated February 7, 2005, issued by
                            Engineered Support Systems, Inc.