NEW YORK (AP) — Lockheed Martin Corp. confirmed late Wednesday that it plans to lay off 250 employees in April, and cut an additional 600 jobs during the year, as the defense contractor completes engineering work on its new F-35 fighter jet program.
Lockheed Martin said the staff eliminations are necessary as the company transitions to the production stages of its F-35 Lightning II program.
Most of the job cuts will occur at Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth site, which employs about 14,500 people.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that Lockheed officials sent a memo to employees on Wednesday, saying they expect to remove about 850 engineers from the F-35 fighter program.
Lockheed Martin said up to 200 of the total number of affected workers are expected to be placed in other company jobs or take voluntary layoffs.
The company will provide 60-day notice and outplacement services to employees who are laid off.
''It's important to note that this transition has always been part of our program plan,'' said Executive Vice President and F-35 program General Manager Dan Crowley.
''Many of our SDD design tasks are complete, and we're getting ready to accelerate on the production side.
The F-35 program continues to operate within its System Development and Demonstration budgets and the program is technically stable.''
Crowley said the adjustments are historically consistent with aircraft development programs of similar size. ''The F-35 program is farther along in its risk reduction efforts than comparable aircraft programs have been at this stage of their existence,'' Crowley said.
The F-35, or joint strike fighter, recently completed its first year of flight tests.
In addition, Lockheed Martin said a program review conducted midway through the 12-year system development and demonstration phase of the program concluded that two preproduction F-35 test aircraft will no longer be needed.
Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with Northrop Grumman Corp. and BAE Systems.
