BAE said workers would be offered 'generous' packages

BAE announced 230 job cuts at the plant in Rochester earlier this year, but only 120 workers stepped forward for voluntary redundancy.

The company, which employs about 1,850 people, said redundancy packages would be offered that were more generous than the legal requirement.

A recruitment firm is helping workers find alternative employment.

'Not enough orders'

Earlier this year, the defence firm said 1,396 jobs were to go at 13 sites across the UK.

The company, which makes commercial and military equipment, said there were not enough orders to sustain the positions.

Three of BAE's five main businesses - aircraft electronics, defence repairs and defence electronics - would be hit by job cuts, a spokeswoman said.

Sites to be hit included Chadderton near Manchester, Edinburgh, Rochester in Kent, Luton, Southampton and Basildon.

BAE employs 40,000 people at 70 sites across the UK, almost half of its 90,000 staff worldwide.

The decision on job cuts was made after BAE's annual assessment of predicted workloads, the company said.