BAE Systems unions have said that the £9m ($114m) Nimrod aircraft could be turned into scrap metal following the new defence review.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron said in the review that the replacement Nimrod MRA4 surveillance and reconnaissance planes project would be scrapped.

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The prime minister said the project had cost over £3bn ($4.8bn), according to the BBC.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said it was holding talks with BAE Systems about the future of the aircraft.

BAE has already built one Nimrod aircraft and is in the process of manufacturing eight others at its plant in Woodford, Cheshire.

The MoD awarded a contract to BAE in 1996 to build 21 planes, which was reduced to 12 and later to nine aircraft before being scrapped.

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