DENVER (AP) - Lockheed Martin says it will eliminate 800 jobs across its space systems division, largely in two facilities in Colorado and California.

The reductions represent about 4.5 percent of the overall workforce. All job functions will be affected, including technical, managerial and administration positions primarily at its Denver and Sunnyvale, Calif. facilities.

The Bethesda, Md.-based company said Monday that the jobs cuts are aimed at "improving its competitive posture."

Lockheed says it will offer a voluntary layoff plan to help minimize the number of necessary layoffs.

When asked how many people in Denver will be laid off, Charles Manor, communications director said, "We've implemented a voluntary layoff... depending on the success of that program, then we'll know how many in Denver."

Manor says it is too soon to tell if the positions will be reinstated in the future.

"Ideally, we'd hope there would be a need to bring them back in the future. We just can't see that now," Manor said.

The latest cuts are separate from the downsizing under way at its Michoud Operations as a result of the planned fly-out of the Space Shuttle program in 2010.

Article Courtesy of 9 News