The engineering giant made the announcement last month than a total of 2,600 positions would be cut worldwide over the next 18 months as part of global cutbacks.

But despite the firm previously insisting it wouldn’t effect Renfrewshire’s plant, it was this week revealed that around 160 jobs could suffer.

The latest cuts come as a major blow to Rolls Royce workers, particularly as it is so close to Christmas.

A spokesman for Rolls-Royce said the company hoped to achieve the reduction “by voluntary means wherever possible”.

He added: “It is never an easy decision to make changes and propose reductions in our workforce, but it is a sign of the increasingly competitive market in which we operate.” Tony Tinley, of the Unite union, said: “These cuts are a huge loss of skills to the UK economy and will result in Rolls-Royce outsourcing high-tech manufacturing jobs overseas to plug the skills gap in the future.

“The UK workforce is world class and has proved time and time again to be at the cutting edge of engineering.

“Rolls-Royce needs to give assurances over its long-term future and manufacturing in the UK.” The announcement also comes less than a year after 200 jobs were lost at the Inchinnan firm before.