BAE Systems, a British defense and aerospace company, plans to open a facility in Mecklenburg County and add 176 jobs.

The center will handle accounting and HR services.

State officials this morning approved giving the company incentives worth as much as $2.28 million if it meets hiring goals. The jobs will pay average annual salaries of $51,392, above the Mecklenburg County average.

BAE also considered sites in South Carolina and Austin, Texas, for the expansion. The company employs more than 107,000 people worldwide. Its U.S. headquarters is in Arlington, Va., outside of Washington.