The world-renowned aero-engine manufacturers are Hucknall's biggest employers with 850 workers at their Watnall Road base.

Only two years ago, they spent millions of pounds in transferring their national combustion components operation to Hucknall, which safeguarded jobs.

But Rolls say the looming recession and delays to the rollout of new Airbus and Boeing planes are behind the newly-revealed plans.

Already the firm have announced their intention to cull 140 jobs from their their assembly and test bed in Derby.

Rolls employ about 39,000 people worldwide – 60% of which are based in the UK.

Concrete details of where and when the rest of the positions will be axed have not yet been released.

But the news is sure to bring back memories for Hucknall employees of when 225 jobs were cut locally and 2,500 worldwide after the September 11 terrorist attacks on the USA in 2001.

In making the announcement of the latest cuts, Rolls said they were responding to the global economic slowdown.

A spokesman said: "We have been reviewing the possible impact of economic uncertainties, delays on individual programmes, such as the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 787, and the benefits of the group's continuing focus on efficiency."

The firm said they wanted to give their employees "an early indication of the likely scale" of the job cuts in 2009.

"We are determined to to maintain our focus on cost reduction and competitiveness as the world economy enters a challenging period," said Sir John Rose, Rolls-Royce's chief executive.