Canadian aerospace company Bombardier and Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI) have finally broken the silence on the CRJ program. Now it is confirmed: Bombardier sells its last commercial aircraft program to Japanese company for $550 million.

According to the agreement, after the purchase is completed, MHI will “acquire the maintenance, support, refurbishment, marketing, and sales activities for the CRJ Series aircraft, including the related services and support network located in Montréal, Québec, and Toronto, Ontario, and its service centres located in Bridgeport, West Virginia, and Tucson, Arizona, as well as the type certificates“.

By adding this program to its portfolio, MHI expects to strengthen its existing commercial aircraft business, especially the development, production, sales and support of the Mitsubishi SpaceJet commercial aircraft family. 

The transaction is currently expected to close during the first half of 2020 and remains subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. The production of CRJ, in turn, is expected to conclude in the second half of 2020, following the delivery of the current backlog of aircraft.

The CRJ production facility in Mirabel, Québec, however, will remain with Bombardier which will continue to supply components and spare parts.