UK’s BAE Systems to slash 3,000 jobs

London: UK defence major, BAE Systems, will shed as many as 3,000 jobs with European governments set to slash defence budgets, reports say. The job losses, due to be announced soon, will almost all focus on the United Kingdom, primarily at two locations in northern England, British dailies reported.

The proposed BAE move has been described by a trade union as a "hammer blow" to the country's defence industry. BAE employs around 39,000 across the country.

BAE makes its move even as European governments take their own time finalising orders for the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft, wrestling as they are with defence budgets cuts, British dailies reported.

The Eurofighter is manufactured by the four-nation European Aeronautic Defence & Space consortium, representing Germany and Spain, Italy's Finmeccanica and BAE.

In Britain, BAE's order book has taken a hit as the government cuts defence spending, including a decision to reduce the size of its armed forces and scrap some plum defence contracts like an aircraft carrier.

BAE said in a statement that it had "informed staff that we are reviewing our operations across various businesses to make sure the company is performing as effectively and efficiently as possible."