MARION — Founded in 1940 as Francis Associates, the Marion location of Lockheed Martin is set to close in 2022. 

Lockheed Martin and its subsidiary Polaris, an electronics manufacturer, are the largest employers in Marion. 400 jobs will be relocated. 

According to the aerospace and security company, the team at the Marion location works on the U.S. Navy’s undersea programs, including the MK-48 Heavyweight Torpedo. 

“In our ongoing effort to drive down costs for customers and increase efficiency and value, we are consolidating some operations in our Rotary and Mission Systems business to better align employees, technology and facilities to meet customer needs,” read a statement from the company. 

The jobs at the Marion site will be relocated to other Lockheed Martin locations. According to the company, most employees will be offered the opportunity to relocate or, if possible, work remotely.

The Marion location began as Francis Associates, an electrical-mechanical engineering firm founded by brothers Tim and Sam Francis alongside Phil Tabor in 1940. In 1981, the company went public as Sippican Ocean Systems, Inc., before being acquired by Lockheed Martin in 2004.

Sippican Ocean Systems had been a key manufacturer of underwater warfare technology for over 40 years prior to its acquisition.