LOS ANGELES — Boeing Co. says it will end production of its big C-17 Globemaster III military cargo jets and close the airlifter’s final assembly plant in Long Beach, Calif., in 2015.
The Chicago-headquartered aerospace giant said Wednesday it will build the final 22 C-17s in the interim.
Boeing says nearly 3,000 employees support C-17 production in Long Beach; Macon, Ga.; Mesa, Ariz., and St. Louis, and workforce reductions will begin early next year.
The company says it expects the announcement to result in a charge of less than $100 million this quarter, which will not impact financial guidance for the year.
Last week, the Long Beach plant delivered the last of 223 C-17s produced for the U.S. Air Force. The remaining aircraft to be built are for overseas customers.
