Defence giant plans to cut nearly 2,000 jobs
● Move mainly hits blue-chip’s military air arm but with up to 15 Fife jobs at risk
The government has come under attack over its defence policy after the “devastating” news that BAE Systems is planning to cut almost 2,000 jobs in its military, maritime and intelligence services.
The defence giant said the aim was to streamline its business and have a “sharper” competitive edge, with redundancies spread over at least two years”.
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 Warton and Samlesbury in Lancashire, where the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft assembly takes place.
Jobs will also be cut at Brough in East Yorkshire and at RAF bases in Norfolk and North Yorkshire.
Defence giant BAE Systems is planning to cut almost 2,000 jobs in its military, maritime and intelligence services under moves to streamline its business and gain 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 Warton and Samlesbury in Lancashire, where the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft assembly takes place.
Around375proposedredundancies were announced in BAE’S maritime servicing and support business, mainly affecting Portsmouth, with ten to 15 potential job losses in Hillend, Fife, for workers involved in naval support. The blue-chip firm has about 3,000 staff in Scotland, mainly in Glasgow covering its naval ships business but also in Rosyth and Prestwick.
Jobs will also 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.”
However, there were calls for the UK government to safeguard the defence sector, with its contribution to the economy highlighted.
Trade union GMB commented, with national officer Ross Murdoch saying the government “must stop dithering if it wants to save the UK’S highly skilled aerospace jobs”.
Aerospace, defence, security and space trade body ADS Group also reacted, with chief executive Paul Everitt stating that in the UK the defence sector last year contributed £23 billion to the economy and employs more than 140,000 people. “It is vital that the government continue its strong support for defence exports and work with industry to put in place an ambitious defence sector deal .”
The UK government said it is a worrying time for BAE staff “and the government stands ready to support those affected.ourmodspent£3.7bnwith BAE last year, and we also continually bang the drum for our world-leading defence industry right across the globe supporting companies like BAE in securing contracts for Ukmade equipment”.