Raytheon Aircraft has cut King Air and Beechjet production rates and is to lay off another 450 people in the face of slowing sales. The Wichita, Kansas-based manufacturer has axed almost 10% of its workforce so far this year.

The company had planned to deliver 508 aircraft this year but has cut production to 468, below last year's output of 476. The cuts involve 16 Beechjet 400As and 24 King Air twin-turboprops. Raytheon will not reveal the new production rates, but it delivered 51 Beechjets and 154 King Airs last year, suggesting reductions of 30% for the jet and 15% for the turboprop. Production of the Hawker 800XP and new Premier I are unaffected.

Last year, Raytheon cut production of its piston-engine aircraft and Beech 1900D regional airliner. Raytheon last month removed Hansel Tookes as head of its aircraft manufacturing unit.

Source: Flight International