It’s a huge boost to the county economy

Lancashire is set for a job boom with its largest private sector employer BAE Systems hiring 1,000 new engineers.

The multinational arms, security, and aerospace company is recruiting the highly-skilled engineers across the next 12 months as it gears up for a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape the future of combat air.

Last week, the company announced it will lead the UK industry response to the development of a new combat air demonstrator which will fly within the next five years, playing a critical role in proving the technology needed to deliver the UK’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS).

The new roles will support this effort and also programmes including the next generation of capability for Typhoon, which makes up the frontline of today’s RAF, and the development of electric and unmanned aircraft. It is looking to take on engineers, advanced manufacturers, software specialists and a whole range of other professions which support these complex programmes, including project managers, finance and commercial specialists, etc.

The bulk of these new recruits will be in key ‘Levelling Up’ regions including Warton and Samlesbury in Lancashire, Brough, East Yorkshire and Prestwick, South Ayrshire.

The new jobs are part of the plans to build supersonic Tempest fighter jets. Cliff Robson, who heads BAE’s air group, said: “Without Tempest, we lose the sovereign capability in terms of military aircraft and fast jets, which is essential if you want security and defence of the country.

• 05:25, 2 AUG 2022
• UPDATED06:53, 2 AUG 2022