Rockwell Puts New Defense Electronics Unit in Anaheim

In anticipation of reduced Pentagon spending, Rockwell International Corp. on Thursday announced the formation of a Defense Electronics division, which will be based in Anaheim and have 14,000 employees in seven states.

“This new organization merges the bulk of Rockwell’s defense electronics activities into one business segment,” Kent M. Black, Rockwell’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, said in a statement. “Modifying our business structure is only one of many tools being used to make us more competitive.”

The new division will be headed by John A. McLuckey, a 31-year Rockwell veteran who has headed the company’s Autonetics division in Anaheim since 1987. McLuckey was named president of the Defense Electronics unit, which will have projected sales of about $1.8 billion.

The Defense Electronics organization will merge the following divisions: Autonetics ICBM Systems, Autonetics Marine Systems and Autonetics Sensors and Aircraft Systems, all headquartered in Anaheim; Collins Defense Communications, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Missile Systems, Duluth, Ga.

“This internally provides a better management, under one organization reporting to one person,” said Tony Longo, a Rockwell spokesman.

In a separate move, Rockwell’s Digital Communications Systems unit said it is reorganizing its Microelectronics Technology Center in Newport Beach to focus more on commercial programs rather than defense programs.

The move will affect about 70 employees in the sales, marketing, finance, operations and quality-control departments. Rockwell anticipates placing more than half of those 70 workers in other jobs with the firm, said Patricia Dixon, a company spokeswoman.

Rockwell employs about 1,200 people in Newport Beach.