Northrop Grumman to cut 200 more jobs in Apopka

Northrop Grumman Corp. plans to shed at least 200 jobs at its once-expanding laser-weaponry factory in Apopka — a move that will eliminate 24 percent of the remaining work force, the company confirmed Tuesday.

Once the layoffs take effect, Northrop Grumman Laser Systems will have eliminated more than 40 percent of its work force, or 465 jobs, so far this year. The first round of layoffs, in March, were the first job losses in about two decades at the unit, where employment peaked at nearly 1,100 workers early this year. No further cuts are expected, the company said.

The Northrop layoffs come as the defense industry braces for historic cuts in the country’s military budget, part of the federal government’s plan to cut its annual budget deficits by as much as $1.5 trillion over the next decade. Even before that effort got under way, Pentagon officials had proposed cutting $100 billion from the nation’s defense spending over 10 years.

Source: OrlandoSentinel.com