Lockheed will lay off 10 who work at sub base

Defense contractor Lockheed Martin Corp. plans to lay off 10 workers tied to the U.S. Naval Submarine Base by the end of September because of cutbacks in government-contract work. The company's Chesapeake, Va.-based Global Training & Logistics business unit filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification with the state Department of Labor earlier this month informing the agency of the layoffs involving three clerks, six weapons handlers and one lead weapons handler.

"The planned action is expected to be permanent," Lockheed said in a letter to the state signed by Eduard "Spike" Rivera, a senior program manager for the company.

All of the employees are working at the base's Building 86, according to the WARN. Their last day on the job will be on or about Sept. 30.

In June, Lockheed announced plans to cut a total of 2,700 jobs nationwide out of an employee base of about 126,000 worldwide. The cuts were in its aeronautics and space systems equipment units.

Cutbacks were blamed on a changing business environment, including plans to cut spending on defense in the wake of the U.S. budget crisis.

Previous cuts fell mainly on the company's major aeronautics centers in Texas, Georgia and California.