On Monday, January 28, at approximately 17:00 Pacific Standard Time, in the ongoing lawsuit with Bombardier, Inc., Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation’s U.S.-based subsidiary, Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation America, Inc., filed a counterclaim asserting that Bombardier has engaged in illegal anticompetitive behavior with the intent to impede the development and certification of the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) aircraft.

It is our company position that for several years Bombardier has engaged in a multifaceted scheme of illegal anticompetitive conduct, directed against Mitsubishi, its partners and its employees. As alleged in the counterclaim filing, since late 2015 Bombardier has threatened, pressured and sought to coerce Mitsubishi Aircraft, its U.S.-based partners, and individual employees working on the MRJ program. The filings also detail how when Mitsubishi Aircraft refused to accede to Bombardier’s demands, Bombardier filed the present lawsuit.

While these threats and the lawsuit purportedly relate to allegations of trade secret misappropriation, our position is that Bombardier’s allegations of misappropriation lack factual or legal merit. Rather, we believe these threats and the present litigation constitute an effort by Bombardier to impede the progress of the development of the MRJ and ultimately, to delay the MRJ from entering the market.

Mitsubishi Aircraft is confident that it will ultimately prevail in defending itself from Bombardier’s unwarranted allegations, and that Bombardier’s actions will not adversely impact the development and entry into service of the MRJ or the success of the MRJ program.