Defence and aerospace firm BAE Systems has secured another major contract to help build state-of-the art fighter aircraft.

And it will mean more work for its Rochester base which is involved in their production.

BAE has been awarded a £1.3billion order to help produce 38 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft for the German Air Force.

The Typhoon is described as the most advanced "multi-role combat aircraft in operation".

Work on the new jets will begin in 2021 and continue for several years.

More than 5,000 BAE Systems employees, based in sites around the nation, directly support the Typhoon programme in the UK, supporting a further 10,000 jobs in the UK economy as a whole.

Charles Woodburn, chief executive at BAE Systems, said: “Germany’s decision to purchase additional Typhoons reinforces the aircraft’s position as one of the world’s most successful combat military aircraft. The Typhoon programme makes a significant contribution to the UK economy, generating billions of pounds through exports and supporting more than 15,000 jobs across the UK.”

The combat air sector delivers £6 billion of revenue to the UK every year and is responsible for 87% of the nation’s defence exports, a significant proportion of which comes from Typhoon.

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