Pratt & Whitney, the East-Hartford based jet engine manufacturer, laid off 400 employees Tuesday, including 200 employees in Connecticut.
The layoffs were a part of plans by United Technologies Corp., which owns Pratt & Whitney, to reduce its workforce  by about 3,000 employees by the end of the year. Last year UTC, which employees more than 210,000 people in 71 countries, laid off 4,000 employees.
In July, about 575 Pratt & Whitney employees accepted buyouts from the the company following a 200-person layoff at Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., which is also owned by UTC.
In a statement posted on Pratt & Whitney’s website, officials said they were pleased with the number of employees who participated in the voluntary separation program, but felt further cuts were necessary.
“When necessary, we make staffing adjustments required to keep our cost structure competitive,” the statement said. “Our long-term outlook is very bright; however, to secure this bright future we must address some near-term challenges.”
