The Engineer

BAE to work on Mitsubishi jet

News

BAE Systems has signed an agreement with Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation of Japan to work on a new regional jet that should consume less fuel and emit less noise and fumes.  

According to the agreement, the global defence, security and aerospace specialist will provide design integration and certification services for the propulsion systems of the next-generation Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) aircraft.

An engineering team from BAE Systems’ Regional Aircraft business at Prestwick in Scotland will influence the new aircraft’s powerplant, pylon, nacelle, auxiliary power units and fuel systems.

The MRJ aircraft, a 70-90-seat family of twin-engine regional jets, will be powered by Pratt and Whitney PurePower PW1000G engines.

Mitsubishi has scheduled its first flight for 2012 and entry into commercial service is likely to be in 2014. Some of the current MRJ customers include All Nippon Airways and Trans States Holdings of the US.

Alan Fraser, managing director of BAE Systems Regional Aircraft, stated that the new contract took years to negotiate. ‘I believe we have a strong track record of experience and expertise and the award of this contract demonstrates the trust that Mitsubishi has in our people. This will allow us to build upon our existing capabilities and leverage them on to the next generation of aircraft. We hope this will be a first step in a developing relationship with Mitsubishi for the MRJ.’

Register now to continue reading

Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of news stories. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our news coverage, as well as premium content including opinion, in-depth features and special reports.  

Benefits of registering

  • In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends

  • Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year

  • Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox

Register
Or continue by

Signing in with your registered email address