PARIS, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Airbus is cutting

2,043 jobs in its Defence & Space division, compared with its

earlier estimate of up to 2,500 job reductions, two people

familiar with the matter said.

More than half the cuts - affecting 1,128 jobs - will fall

in the Space Systems business, they added, asking not to be

named.

An Airbus spokesperson declined to comment on the figures,

which were provided to unions in a briefing earlier on

Wednesday.