Wire: Obama Pentagon Budget Expected to Kill More US Defense Jobs

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, July 18, 2009 -- Newswire services Friday reported that defense contractors could be poised to shed jobs as the Pentagon cuts weapons spending.

The Reuters news service said industry leader Lockheed Martin Corp said this week it would cut 600 jobs, mainly in Owego, New York, as a result of the U.S. Defense Department's decision to terminate the VH-71 presidential helicopter program.

Aircraft maker Boeing Co said announced Pentagon cuts would claim 1,000 jobs in its defense business, affecting staffing at various U.S. work sites in missile defense and in the Army's Future Combat Systems modernization program, which is being opened to more competition.

Boeing, which has also been hit by the slump in commercial aerospace, declined to say whether the defense staff cuts were included in 10,000 jobs set to be pared company-wide this year, Reuters noted.

Congress is debating the Obama administration's fiscal 2010 defense budget request and has proposed changes, including keeping funding for some programs that the administration seeks to cut.

Despite the congressional bid, some industry experts are betting more job cuts will come as U.S. defense budget growth slows, Reuters said.

(Report from newswire sources.)

Source: More job cuts expected in U.S. defense sector

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