Boeing Moves 2 Aircraft Programs from California to Oklahoma

The Boeing Co. said that it will move its C-130 Avionics Modernization Program and B-1 Program from Long Beach, Calif., to Oklahoma City. The C-130 AMP relocation starts in the first quarter of 2011 and both programs will be finished moving by the end of 2012.

Boeing says about 800 people work on the two programs. Over the next two years, 550 positions will be moved to Oklahoma City. The rest of the positions will be eliminated over the two years.

As the Press-Telegram reports, the aerospace workforce in Long Beach has dwindled to less than 5,000 workers today from 16,000 13 years ago.

Mark Bass, general manager of Boeing's Maintenance, Modifications and Upgrades unit, gave the reason for the move: to help Boeing provide a more competitive cost structure for customers.

Boeing's commercial airplanes workers here in the Puget Sound region are used to hearing this. Company officials have talked repeatedly about the need for Washington state to remain competitive. Avoiding labor strikes is the other key to keeping work here, Boeing says.