Kratos Defense & Security Solutions is a name that most of you have not heard on in the past, so before we talk about the job cuts to come, lets begin by talking about the company and how it choose to describe itself, “Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS) is a specialized National Security Technology business providing mission critical products, services and solutions for United States National Security priorities. Kratos’ core capabilities are sophisticated engineering, manufacturing and system integration offerings for National Security platforms and programs. Kratos’ areas of expertise include C5ISR, unmanned systems, cyber warfare, cyber security, information assurance, critical infrastructure security and weapons systems sustainment. Kratos has primarily an engineering and technical oriented work force of approximately 4,400. The vast majority of Kratos’ work is performed on a military base, in a secure facility or at a critical infrastructure location. Kratos’ primary end customers are United States Federal Government agencies.”

Sadly the company is getting ready to cut back on about 125 workers at its Lanham facility in a move that is designed to help the company to trim back on its expenses and become a more profitable company in the long run. Sadly these kinds of layoffs are enough to qualify as a mass layoff action under the current federal guidelines.

For those of you who are not familiar with the idea of a mass layoff action here is a look at how the federal government defines the term, “The Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) program collects reports on mass layoff actions that result in workers being separated from their jobs. Monthly mass layoff numbers are from establishments which have at least 50 initial claims for unemployment insurance (UI) filed against them during a 5-week period. Extended mass layoff numbers (issued quarterly) are from a subset of such establishments—where private sector nonfarm employers indicate that 50 or more workers were separated from their jobs for at least 31 days.” Under the terms of a mass layoff action the employer must give several weeks of notice before cutting workers from the payrolls and sending them to the unemployment line.

Interestingly enough in their most recent release the company chose not to talk about the job cuts they are making, but instead to talk about an award for simulations as a company, “Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc.(Nasdaq:KTOS), a leading National Security Solutions provider, announced today that it has been named a 2012 Top Simulation & Training Company by Military Training Technology magazine. The company was selected by the editorial board as well as a panel of independent experts. In addition to the selection, Kratos also received special recognition from the panel as an industry leader in innovation. Kratos was presented the award in recognition of the research-based methodologies and techniques it uses to implement outcome-driven training solutions. Kratos specializes in developing custom training solutions that maximize the readiness and performance of Warfighters, workforces and adult learners, including: Design and development of full- and part-task training systems, Developing computer-based training solutions, including courseware, simulations, gaming, social learning and more, Identifying manpower, personnel and training requirements and competency models to create training programs engineered to reach specific performance objectives”