Defence giant BAE Systems is to axe 1,100 jobs and close one of its sites, unions have said.
The Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions (CSEU) said the news was "bitterly disappointing" for workers and local communities.
The cuts will affect a number of sites, including Woodford in Cheshire, which will close, said the union.
The CSEU's general secretary, Hugh Scullion, said: "This is bitterly disappointing news for the staff and for the local communities which rely on these jobs.
"This is particularly true in the case of the proposed closure of Woodford. The CSEU will work constructively with the company to keep redundancies to a minimum and ensure no compulsory redundancies.
"The CSEU believe there is still an opportunity to extend production at the Woodford site."
