Boeing adds jobs in Colorado Springs

As other technology employers have been cutting jobs, Boeing Co. has been quietly adding positions in Colorado Springs to work on a new satellite system designed to detect and track objects orbiting the Earth as well as several other programs.

The aviation giant has added about 100 workers to its Springs payroll in the past year and expects to add an additional 50-75 this year to complete software design and hardware systems that control the Space Based Space Surveillance satellite system, as well as upgrades to the Global Positioning System satellite network and a new global military-communications satellite system, said Bill Hodgkins, Boeing's senior Colorado executive.

Boeing is among the fastest-growing firms in one of the few industries in Colorado Springs that is expanding amid a deepening recession that has triggered layoffs by technology manufacturers, retailers, construction firms and many others. The local defense contracting industry's 10 largest players employ more than 7,000, and several are filling openings after winning new contracts or additional work on existing programs.

Boeing's Springs work force has grown from 423 in 2006 to about 600 by the end of last year, mostly working on software engineering and hardware design on contracts for satellites that will be used by the Air Force Space Command and other local military units, Hodgkins said. Most of the company's local work force is composed of employees with computer science and engineering degrees who earn an annual salary of more than $60,000, he said.

"We began moving work on the Space Based Space Surveillance system here in the second half of last year because we are trying to integrate (teams working on) the software engineering and hardware design" of the three satellite systems, Hodgkins said.

"Colorado Springs is the base for several key space-related programs for Boeing because it is the center for U.S. military space activities, missile defense, and for U.S. Homeland Defense efforts."

Hodgkins became Boeing's top local executive in October 2006 after retiring from the Air Force as a major general serving as director of plans and policy for the North American Aerospace Defense Command at Peterson Air Force Base.

"The aerospace industry is growing while the rest of the economy is struggling in a downturn. We are fortunate to have companies like Boeing and other aerospace giants with a significant and expanding presence in Colorado Springs," said Mike Kazmierski, president and chief executive of the Colorado Springs Regional Economic Development Corp.

Nearly half of Boeing's local employees work on three satellite programs, much of it in the company's 5-year-old GPS Center near Peterson Air Force Base that serves as the centerpiece of its local software-development operations:

• The Space Based Space Surveillance system is a network of sensor satellites to be launched starting in April that will give the Air Force a real-time view of objects in orbit. Boeing says current ground-based systems don't have the timeliness needed to detect small objects in deep space. The system could be used to avoid damage to U.S. satellites and spacecraft from space debris as well as assess any damage.

• The Wideband Global SATCOM satellite network will provide wartime information exchange that includes command, control, communications and access to computer networks; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as battle management and combat-support information. The network will provide more than 10 times the communications capacity of the current network when all satellites are launched, scheduled for 2012.

• The GPS IIF satellite network is the latest generation of Global Positioning System navigation satellites that will extend its life another 15 years and require less attention from ground controllers. The launch of the first satellites was delayed in 2006 to the second half of this year.

About 200 Boeing employees in the Springs also work on systems engineering, software design, engineering support and system maintenance on the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.

The balance of Boeing's local employees works on software development for SBInet, an integrated system of people, equipment, technology and rapid response to secure the nation's northern and southern borders. They also work on a team that includes Boeing and technology giants Computer Sciences Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co. and Sun Microsystems Inc. to develop information-sharing technology for military and civilian customers using large amounts of data.

Boeing opened a local office in 1983 to work on a part of President Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative missile defense system that grew to about 20 people before the program was canceled five years later. Boeing reduced the office to just a handful of employees after the cancellation, but started to expand its local operations in the mid-1990s for work on the Global Positioning System satellite network.

Boeing also employs 1,500 at Englewood-based Jeppeson, a subsidiary that produces navigation aids and related products and services, and 350 at its Denver Engineering Center.

Boeing donates about $500,000 a year to local charities that include the Boy Scouts, Red Cross, Colorado Springs Philharmonic, U.S. Space Foundation, National Homeland Defense Foundation and programs for military amputees.

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Contact the writer: 636-0234 or wayneh@gazette.com  

Top defense contractors in Colorado Springs

1. Lockheed Martin Corp.

Local employees: 2,000

What's here: Corporate business development office, operations from company's Space Systems, Electronic Systems and Information Systems & Global Services divisions at 985 Space Center Drive and 12 other locations

Recent developments: Lockheed Martin won a contract to develop the latest generation of the GPS satellite network and will complete operations support locally with existing its work force.

2. ITT Corp.

Local employees: 1,177

What's here: Headquarters and two other offices for Systems Division, 655 Space Center Drive; operations from the company's Communications Systems and Applied Engineering & Sciences divisions at four other locations

Recent developments: Company is trying to fill 32 diverse openings in the Springs, including aerospace engineers and technical support specialists.

3. Northrop Grumman Corp.

Local employees: 1,150

What's here: Operations from Electronic Systems, Information Systems, Aerospace Systems and Technical Services divisions at 3535 Northrop Grumman Point in Colorado Springs Airport's Cresterra Business Park and seven other locations

Recent developments: Company has completed all major milestones on the Global Positioning System Next-Generation Control Segment and has bid on program's next phase to be awarded later this year.

4. L-3 Communications Corp.

Local employees: 606

What's here: Operations from L-3 Communications Systems-West Group engineering and technical services division, L-3 Services Group global-security and engineering systems, intelligence solutions, and command and control systems and software divisions, L-3 Applied Technologies Group electromagnetics and electronics Jaycor division operating from 1150 Academy Park Loop and two other locations

Recent developments: L-3 Services Group was reorganized in three divisions last year and won a $30.9 million contract from Air Force Weather Agency to be completed with existing personnel. Company is bidding on contracts in missile defense, missile warning and cyber warfare that could trigger growth in the local operation.

5. Boeing Co.

Local employees: 600

What's here: Corporate business development office and operations from Boeing Missile Defense systems, Boeing Intelligence & Security Systems and Boeing Service Co. at 5555 Tech Center Drive and four other locations

Recent developments: Added about 100 employees in 2008 to work on software development and hardware design for three major satellite systems and plans to add 50-75 people to local payroll this year.

6. Science Applications International Corp.

Local employees: 508

What's here: 11 business units and five groups at 360 Command View

Recent developments: None

7. Serco Inc.

Local employees: 450

What's here: Provides information technology and engineering services as well as military personnel and family support to commands and military units at Fort Carson and Peterson Air Force Base from offices at 1090 N. Newport Road

Recent developments: Serco acquired local office in its merger with SI International Inc.

8. Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.

Local employees: 400

What's here: Finance and business analysis, information technology, operations and logistics, systems engineering and integration and organization-change consulting for Air Force Space Command, U.S. Northern Command, North American Aerospace Defense Command at 121 S. Tejon St.

Recent developments: About 30 open positions in Colorado Springs for information and systems security, service-oriented architecture, space-launch and range-system engineers, modeling and simulation specialists to support existing contracts.

9. Ki Professional Services Group LLC

Local employees: 400

What's here: Headquarters of parent and three subsidiaries - Ki LLC, Five River Services LLC, Wolverine Services LLC at 5475 Mark Dabling Blvd.

Recent developments: Established Wolverine Services LLC to complete military logistics contracts; Wolverine also is expanding into providing medical personnel for military hospitals

10. Honeywell International Inc.

Local employees: 364

What's here: Honeywell Technology Solutions Inc. office at 1110 Bayfield Drive and a second satellite office

Recent developments: Honeywell Technology Solutions won a $29.7 million contract to build a transportable remote tracking station the Air Force will use as a temporary replacement for permanent satellite-tracking stations being repaired, upgraded or replaced.

Source: Gazette research