UNIONS, business leaders and the Government have joined in welcoming the start of the production of the Eurofighter and hopes an order by the Greek airforce could further secure local jobs.

Defence procurement minister, Baroness Symons of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), visited the Warton site where the Eurofighter Typhoon is being assembled from parts built in Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Britain has ordered 232 of the planes which will be built at the Lancashire site and the contract is expected to secure around 1,800 jobs at Warton and Samlesbury for the next 15 years, as well as tens of thousands of jobs in support industries.

Baroness Symons said: "I think there is a tremendous atmosphere here. This project is going exactly to plan, in fact it's a little early."

She said the Eurofighter was "good news for Lancashire" , and added: "We have an aircraft with 620 firm orders, with the UK taking 232. We hope that will sustain jobs well into the future, and obviously a great deal will depend on how exports go. We hope to be signing a contract with Greece shortly for at least 60 aircraft and possibly 90."

She said: "The UK has a very important role both in the production and management of the programme.

"The aircraft has the type of technology which is hugely important for the future. And there has been a real sense of co-operation between the MoD and industry." Frank Coulton of the Manufacturing, Science and Finance Union which represent many of those working on the Eurofighter also welcomed the start of production.

He said: "The Eurofighter is going to be the backbone of keeping jobs for the foreseeable future, and if we can get everything right export orders will follow.

"It's going to keep us all in work hopefully right to the end of this decade and into the next.

"If the Greek order comes through, that of course would be an extra boost."

John Whalley, chief executive of the North West Aerospace Alliance which represents local industries involved in building the aircraft and parts for it, said the start of production would give the region's economy an extra boost.

He said: "Most of the subcontractor jobs are at this end of the county because this is a traditional stronghold of subcontractors in the aerospace industry."

He added: "We have a very high regard for the Eurofighter because it is a flagship programme, and because the North West has such a large stake in it, it attracts other businesses into this part of the world."

Adam Whittaker, 23, started with BAE as an apprentice seven and a half years ago and is now a mechanical inspector, ensuring all the work carried out meets the specifications for quality and safety.

He said working on the Eurofighter was a "dream job". He said: "You cannot beat working on this, it's a really interesting job and a very good place to work."

Adam started working on the Eurofighter programme four months ago, transferring from his work on Tornados. He added: "It's a very prestigious project, we use the latest technology. It's definitely the place to be working at the moment."