Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) released a statement denying that it had finally decided to end the SpaceJet program of regional jets. According to information gathered by Japanese outlets, the manufacturer should officially terminate the project in the coming days, including the closing of the subsidiary Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation.
“Today, there were several media reports claiming that MHI has decided to discontinue SpaceJet Project development. These stories are not based on any announcement by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries or Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation, an MHI Group company,” the group said.
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Mitsubishi, however, admitted that the regional jet program, frozen since 2020, could take new directions. “While it is true that MHI is considering a variety of possibilities regarding this matter, we will release any information requiring disclosure promptly in the event that any decision has been made,” the statement concluded.
6th generation fighter
According to sources, MHI should announce this Tuesday the end of the program, including the test planes still maintained and all the infrastructure that was preserved, waiting for a possible resumption.
Formerly known as Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ), the SpaceJet project was frozen indefinitely by Mitsubishi in 2020, marking yet another delay in the Japanese jet’s career.
The program, ongoing since 2008, aimed to launch the regional aircraft in 2013, with the Japanese carrier ANA. The date of delivery of the plane, however, was postponed several times until the project was suspended in 2020.
Mitsubishi’s family of regional jets, formed by the M90 and M100 variants, with capacities between 70 and 100 passengers, would compete directly with Embraer’s E-Jets.
According to Aviation Wire, the knowledge acquired during these years should be directed towards the 6th generation fighter program that will be developed together with the United Kingdom and Italy.
