Northrop Grumman cutting 74 jobs, 20 in Bethpage

Northrop Grumman Corp. this week announced job cuts in its Buffalo-based Amherst Systems unit, eliminating 74 positions, including 20 in Bethpage, the company said.

Northrop, which is based in Los Angeles, said in a statement Friday that the cuts, which take effect June 30, are "due primarily to a lack of new product design and development work in our engineering organization, coupled with delays associated with several existing and anticipated domestic and international programs."

Amherst Systems employs about 600 workers in Buffalo and Bethpage. All of the division's Bethpage positions are being eliminated, and the remaining work will be moved to Buffalo, the company said.

In Buffalo the division will be reduced to about 525 employees.

The Amherst unit designs and produces electronic warfare-simulation products and specializes in radio-frequency and infrared threat simulation for the military.

"This workforce reduction is regrettable but unavoidable," the company statement said, noting that staffing levels had to be adjusted to meet "anticipated business needs."

Affected employees will receive severance and other benefits as well as job-search assistance for positions outside and within Northrop Grumman.