LONDON: British defence company BAE Systems says it is cutting almost 2,000 jobs in its military, maritime and intelligence services in an effort to boost competitiveness. CEO Charles Woodburn says in a statement Tuesday that the actions are necessary to "align our workforce capacity more closely with near-term demand and enhance our competitive position to secure new business." The jobs lost are largely at five sites over three years, including Warton and Samlesbury in Lancashire that make the Eurofighter Typhoon jet. The company says that while it expects Typhoon orders from Qatar, the order's timing is uncertain. Unite assistant general secretary Steve Turner says the cuts will "not only undermine Britain's sovereign defence capability, but devastate communities across the UK who rely on these skilled jobs."

Source: Economic Times October 10, 2017 09:33 UTC