The research spans emerging technologies with potential national security applications, including quantum photonics and advanced materials for hypersonic environments. While these projects may not produce immediately deployable military systems, they help build the scientific foundation for future defense capabilities. The program also connects universities with defense research priorities, creating opportunities for faculty, graduate students, and researchers to contribute to national security innovation. For the defense industry, it’s a reminder that some of tomorrow’s most important technologies begin long before a contractor starts building them.
Layoffs: Oshkosh Corporation
Oshkosh Corporation is trimming its workforce, laying off approximately 80 salaried employees across its Transport segment, which includes both defense vehicle manufacturing and commercial delivery operations. According to the Oshkosh Northwestern, the Wisconsin-based manufacturer notified affected employees on October 27, with reductions impacting office-based positions nationwide. The layoffs represent less than 3% of the segment’s workforce, and no union-represented employees were affected. Oshkosh described the move as an organizational realignment intended to better match staffing and operating costs with current business volumes. The company emphasized that the reductions were not tied to any specific defense program or contract proposal.
The latest cuts follow another round of workforce reductions announced in November 2025, when Oshkosh Defense planned to eliminate approximately 160 production positions. The timing also coincides with the company’s third-quarter earnings report, which showed overall revenue increasing 5.7% to $2.84 billion while operating income declined 24.3%. Although Oshkosh continues to support military vehicle programs and the U.S. Postal Service’s next-generation delivery fleet, the latest layoffs highlight how even established defense manufacturers are adjusting staffing as production schedules and business needs shift. For now, Oshkosh says it does not anticipate additional reductions.
Hiring: Electric Boat
The shipbuilding hiring surge isn’t slowing down. General Dynamics Electric Boat has already hired 6,000 new workers in 2026 and expects to reach 8,000 hires by the end of the year, according to Inside Defense. During the company’s October 30 earnings call, General Dynamics President Danny Deep confirmed that Electric Boat remains on track to meet its ambitious hiring target as it works to accelerate production of the Navy’s Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines and Virginia-class attack submarines. The hiring effort spans the company’s operations in Connecticut and Rhode Island, with opportunities in skilled trades, engineering, design, and supporting operations.
And those new hires are arriving at a critical time for the Navy’s submarine industrial base. Deep reported that production output and throughput across the submarine programs have increased 30% compared with the same period last year. But hiring thousands of workers is only part of the equation. Training them and getting them up to speed is equally important, particularly as shipbuilders work to address longstanding production backlogs and workforce shortages. For job seekers interested in defense manufacturing, Electric Boat’s continued hiring push is another indication that skilled labor remains a major priority across the national security workforce.
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Opportunity to Watch
Northrop Grumman is expanding its aircraft maintenance capabilities in Lake Charles, LA, after its facility was selected as a certified U.S. maintenance depot for the C-130 Hercules fleet. The designation, recognized by Lockheed Martin, allows the company to provide depot-level inspections, repairs, and overhauls for one of the military’s longest-serving aircraft. According to The National Interest, the facility includes more than 500,000 square feet of hangar space and over 100,000 square feet of fabrication space, supported by a workforce of more than 700 contract employees. The expanded maintenance capability is intended to get aircraft back into service faster and improve fleet readiness.
The C-130 has been a military workhorse for more than 70 years, and keeping these aircraft flying requires a significant maintenance and sustainment workforce. Northrop Grumman’s Lake Charles facility already supports the Navy’s E-6B Mercury aircraft, and the new certification adds another major platform to its capabilities. For the defense industrial base, it’s another reminder that maintaining and modernizing existing aircraft is just as important as building new ones. The designation also highlights the continued demand for skilled aviation technicians, engineers, and maintenance professionals, although the company has not announced additional hiring tied to the certification.
