The group remains confident of its ability to deliver major programmes and across its three business areas

Thales Group

The firm, which has been owned by Racal for a year, warned in June that the jobs would go if it failed to win the work.

Thales has now confirmed that its Bracknell site will be closed by June next year.

However, the re-structuring means that its operations in Crawley, West Sussex, Reading and Wells in Somerset, will be strengthened.

In a statement, the company said: "As the second largest defence contractor in the UK, the group remains confident of its ability to deliver major programmes and in its three business areas."

'Major role'

It also said that the firm had won a number of recent orders, in areas such as missile systems and information technology.

Despite the job losses, a further 105 staff posts in the communications area of the business will remain.

"The group has also shown its ambitions to continue to play a major role in the UK with its acquisition of Avimo, and the decision to acquire full ownership of Thomson Marconi Sonar," the statement added.

It also intends to develop new opportunities with the future Strategic Tanker Aircraft and future Aircraft Carrier (CVF) military programmes.