Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has announced that it has acquired the CRJ Series from Bombardier.

The $550 million deal means the company now owns “the maintenance, support, refurbishment, marketing, and sales activities for the CRJ Series aircraft, along with the type certificates”.

In addition, MHI RJ Aviation Group (under which the programme now operates) now also owns Bombardier’s former aircraft services and support sites in the Canadian cities of Montreal and Toronto, and in Bridgeport, West Virginia and Tucson, Arizona in the USA. It has also acquired former Bombardier parts distribution depots in Chicago and Frankfurt, Germany.

The acquisition doesn’t include CRJ production, which is being looked after and finalised by Bombardier.

In a statement, Mitsubishi said: “Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) (TOKYO:7011) and Bombardier Inc. (Bombardier) (TSX: BBD.B) of Canada have agreed that all closing conditions have been met and the transaction pertaining to the acquisition of Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) Program will close on June 1, 2020.

“The Program will be operated under the newly created group entities of MHI RJ Aviation Group (MHIRJ) and will commence upon closing.

“As part of the acquisition, MHI acquires the maintenance, support, refurbishment, marketing, and sales activities for the CRJ Series aircraft, along with the type certificates.

“This includes the CRJ related services and support network mainly located in Mirabel, Québec, and Toronto, Ontario in Canada, Bridgeport, West Virginia, and Tucson, Arizona in the United States. CRJ Spare parts will continue to be distributed from depots in Chicago, Illinois and Frankfurt, Germany.

“Complementary to MHI’s existing commercial aircraft business, MHIRJ will provide a holistic servicing and support solution for the global aircraft industry including the CRJ Series aircraft, and eventually, for the Mitsubishi SpaceJet family of next-generation regional jets.

“Key integration milestone updates will be provided on an ongoing basis.”

Visit mhi.com for more information.