Airbus Group is the world's largest maker of commercial helicopters and has been hit by a slowdown in demand from customers in the oil and gas industry in particular, and by the consequences of an accident involving one of its Super Puma helicopters in Norway in April.

The jobs will go at two sites in France, Airbus Helicopters said in a statement to Reuters.

Earlier on Wednesday, Airbus Group reported a 17 percent fall for core profit at its helicopters unit over the first nine months of 2016.

(Reporting by Cyril Altmeyer; Writing by Victoria Bryan; Editing by Andrew Callus)