BATH — Maine’s Bath Iron Works is cutting 44 salaried positions as design work slows down on the next-generation Zumwalt destroyer.

Spokesman Jim DeMartini says the lead ship is now 50 percent complete, so much of the design work is finished for the new-generation destroyers. Bath plans to build three of the Zumwalts before construction shifts back to Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.

DeMartini says the layoffs become effective on Sept. 23. Workers were notified Friday.

He says the job cuts are necessary “to meet our Navy customer’s changing requirements within their available funding.”