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Defence company delivers pre-Christmas jobs blow following government decision to scrap Nimrod and Harrier jets
Defence company BAE Systems is set to deliver a pre-Christmas jobs blow today by announcing cuts of up to 1,350 posts.
The expected move follows the government's defence review and its decision to scrap the Nimrod and Harrier jets.
The job losses will hit a number of sites, including BAE's Woodford plant outside Stockport, where the Nimrod was assembled, it is believed.
Around 700 jobs will go from Woodford, with another 650 to be cut at other BAE sites where work on either the Nimrod or the Harrier was carried out, including at Samlesbury and Warton in Lancashire, and Farnborough in Hampshire.
The Harrier and Nimrod aircraft were both affected by the government's Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), announced in October.
A BAE spokesman said today: "We continually review activities across all our businesses as part of our normal business planning process and reviewing the impact of the SDSR is no different.
"If these reviews raise any issues that directly affect our employees, then our policy is to communicate with our employees through our normal channels."
It is understood that workers will be given the news later this morning.
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