Boeing is cutting 27% of its workers at a defense facility in Wichita, Kansas. The layoffs will begin this week and will last through the first half of 2009. Programs affected include: B-52/Refueling Systems Support, 767 International Tanker, Mission Planning, engineering support for Airborne Laser and 747-8, and Integrated Logistics Support.

The general manager of the Wichita facility had this to say:

“We regret the need to reduce employment, however, a combination of events are limiting our business options and forcing us to reduce our current employee total.”

He’d better hope that none of the employees working on the “airborne laser” project are too hurt by this…

[Yahoo Finance] Boeing to slash 800 jobs at Kansas facility