Lockheed Martin is flooding the online jobhunter services with positions in the Denver area. Wonder what’s going on there — it’s not exactly a good time for aeronautics companies.

How do I know this? Let’s say monster.com and I maintain an ongoing relationship.

Didn't they have a successful test a month or two back for some new booster they're building at their plant here?

Or perhaps there's some defense build-up work in the pipeline.

Aerospace tends to be well-compensated and interesting, but it's a serious boom-bust sort of field.

Thats what Lockheed-Martin does. They lay off 3000 people at the end of a contract, and then 3 to 6 months later they hire 3000 people. 2 years later when the contract is fulfilled they move the "Golden Boys" to current contracts and then lay off 3000 people. Rinse, Wash, Repeat.

It's not a good time for Airlines, but it's better for the defence contractors.

Lockmart is doing a couple things.

They are going to get the contraact for the hose and bucket system for the 100 new 767 Tankers USAF is leasing from Boeing.

Eurofighter is sucking, which will mean more F-16 sales. And you can be sure that if the Gulf War 3 happens, Turkey will get some deals on F-16s and I'd not be shocked if Iran doesn't get some defence goods from the US since it's home-grown F-4/14 replacement is way behind schedule.

They are ramping up for JSF.

And more PAC-3 Patriots and some Aeigis upgrades.

Lockmart and Ball Aerospace will be ramping up for the next gen optical/electro-optical/ISAR recce birds to replace KH and Lacrosse