BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (AP) -- A national defense contractor says it may need to cut as many as 225 jobs at its upstate New York plant because of the slow economy and changes in federal defense priorities that have reduced demand for its commercial aviation and electronics products.
BAE Systems Inc. is asking workers to volunteer to leave their jobs to reduce the need for layoffs. The company has no estimate of how many people might come forward, but expects to have a final count on job cuts in October.
BAE is planning other cuts at facilities in Ontario, Calif., and Marlborough, Mass., for a total reduction of about 325 jobs, all in BAE's Platform Solutions unit.
The Binghamton area plant employs about 1,600. The Rockville, Md.-based company is a subsidiary of British defense conglomerate BAE Systems PLC.
