BAE Systems is planning to cut almost 2,000 jobs in its military, maritime and intelligence services under moves to streamline its business and have a "sharper" competitive edge.

The biggest cutback will be in the military air business, with 1,400 jobs set to be axed across five sites over the next three years, including in Hampshire.

Around 375 proposed redundancies were announced in BAE's maritime servicing and support business, mainly affecting Portsmouth.

There will be losses inWarton and Samlesbury in Lancashire, where the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft assembly takes place.

Jobs will be cut at Brough in East Yorkshire and at RAF bases in Marham, Norfolk, and Leeming in North Yorkshire.

Some jobs will also go from the company's cyber intelligence business in London and Guildford.

Chief executive Charles Woodburn said: "The organisational changes we are announcing today accelerate our evolution to a more streamlined, de-layered organisation, with a sharper competitive edge and a renewed focus on technology.

"These actions will further strengthen our company as we deliver our strategy in a changing environment."

Unite assistant general secretary Steve Turner said: "These planned job cuts will not only undermine Britain's sovereign defence capability, but devastate communities across the UK who rely on these skilled jobs and the hope of a decent future they give to future generations.

"These devastatingly short-sighted cuts will harm communities, jobs and skills.

"These are world class workers with years of training and expertise on which an additional four jobs rely upon in the supply chain."

Shadow defence secretary Nia Griffith said: "This is truly appalling news for BAE's workers and for communities across the UK.

"The jobs that BAE are cutting are highly skilled and their loss will be felt in areas that have a strong tradition of defence manufacturing."