Defense contractor Northrop Grumman Corp. said Wednesday that it will cut 500 jobs at a Linthicum-based division, blaming a drop in business caused by "delays and uncertainty" in both domestic and international contracts.
The company said the "vast majority" of the cuts to the Electronic Systems sector would hit the division's Baltimore-area locations, with the rest spread among its other facilities in Illinois, Virginia, Connecticut, Florida and Alabama. Northrop Grumman is offering a buyout to employees but will conduct layoffs by the end of May if too few leave voluntarily, said spokesman Jack Martin Jr.
"This work force reduction action is regrettable, but unavoidable," Martin said by e-mail. "It is imperative that the company balance the work force to the business base that supports it to ensure the sector's continued competitiveness."