The Woodford plant currently sustains 600 jobs

The multi-billion pound Nimrod project is being built and tested by 600 workers at Woodford, near Stockport.

If the ground tests are successful, the new generation Nimrod will have its first flight later this summer.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) may then give the go ahead to build 15 more planes, securing 1,000 jobs in total.

The base won the contract to build 18 of the new generation planes - known as the Mighty Hunter - two years ago, but technical problems led to delays and a �400m overspend.

In March 2003, work suspended and 800 jobs were axed.

The aircraft is for real, it's outside, and it's rolling Joe Harland, MD Nimrod project

Since then, staff at the Woodford plant have concentrated on finishing just three of the planes.

Those three will undergo rigorous testing on Thursday.

Managing director of the project, Joe Harland, said: "The skills, experience, persistence and sheer hard work of our Nimrod team have got us to where we are now.

"The aircraft is for real, it's outside, and it's rolling.

"We now need to go on to achieve our ultimate and historic goal of inaugural flight - another aviation 'first' for the North West."