Northrop Grumman, a leading defense contractor, has announced the potential elimination of up to 1,000 jobs in Southern California.
The cuts would impact employees within the company’s space sector at Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, and Azusa sites.
Northrop Grumman is trying to reallocate affected staff to other positions within the company.
The company did not provide specific reasons for the job reductions.
However, the move coincides with the US Space Force’s decision to terminate a multi-billion-dollar contract for a classified military communications satellite project with Northrop Grumman.
The project has been plagued by cost overruns, scheduling delays, and developmental challenges.
The aerospace sector has recently faced significant challenges.
Due to anticipated federal budget constraints, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory announced a layoff of 530 employees or eight percent of its workforce.
Northrop Grumman has fulfilled legal obligations by notifying California’s Employment Development Department and submitting a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notice concerning the impending layoffs.
The company said: “This is ongoing, and a higher number of employees will receive WARN notices than may ultimately be impacted.”
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Northrop Grumman has a substantial presence in California, particularly at its historic Space Park facility in Redondo Beach.
This site, crucial during the Cold War era, has been instrumental in developing significant aerospace technologies.
It includes the intercontinental ballistic missile and components for the Apollo moon missions.
Additionally, Northrop Grumman operates a significant aircraft production facility in Palmdale, where it is involved in projects such as the B-21 stealth bomber, the F-35 fighter jet, and various unmanned aerial vehicles.