DEFENCE giant BAE Systems says it is cutting up to 371 UK jobs under plans to slow production of its Typhoon aircraft.

The firm has a number of sites in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

It was this morning unclear whether any jobs in hampshire would be affacted.

BAE said the vast majority of the job losses would affect its 13,000-strong workforce in Samlesbury, Lancashire, although some roles will also be impacted in its Typhoon final assembly production team.

The group also warned that the move to slow jet production would hit its 2015 financial results and will see Typhoon production sales drop from around £1.3 billion in 2015 to around £1.1 billion in 2016.

BAE said it hopes to look at opportunities elsewhere in the business to mitigate compulsory redundancies.
The blow comes as BAE is having to stretch out its Typhoon production line.
BAE secured a deal to supply 28 Typhoon aircraft for the Kuwait Air Force in September, with deliveries from the Italian Typhoon final assembly line set to start around the end of the decade.
The group is also in talks with Saudi Arabia to try to secure further Typhoon purchases, but discussions are making slow progress.
BAE chief executive Ian King said: ''Overall the company is operating in an improving business environment and we continue to win new orders, with good prospects for the future.
''In the short term, action to extend the production life of Typhoon aircraft by reducing the current production rate and a charge to impair the carrying value of the Williamstown shipyard in Australia will impact the group's 2015 results.''