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Mitsubishi Heavy to join Boeing's super jumbo project

Freitag, 29. Dezember 2000 / 07:48 Uhr

Tokyo - Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. plans to join in the development of U.S. plane maker Boeing Company's 747X next-generation super jumbo jet, Japan's leading financial daily reported on Friday.

According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Japan's largest aerospace manufacturer will bear about 100 billion yen (about 877 million dollars), or one-fourth of the total production costs of 400 billion yen, for Boeing and produce main wings of the plane.

The Boeing's 747X next-generation super jumbo jet will be a competitor of Airbus's A380 superjumbo. Airbus announced on December 19 that it will launch the largest civilian aircraft ever designed, the Airbus A380 superjumbo, to challenge U.S. manufacturer Boeing's monopoly on large passenger aircraft.

Mitsubishi Heavy's Tokyo office was unable to comment on the report on Friday because the company had already closed for the year-end holiday.

According to the report, the MHI will make a final decision after Boeing comes up with concrete plans next year.

Besides Mitsubishi, Boeing has asked two other Japanese companies, Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. and Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., to join the 747X project, the report said.

Mitsubishi Heavy and Boeing formed a comprehensive alliance in May in the aerospace busines.

Boosted by the news report, shares of Mitsubishi Heavy rose 10 yen, or about 2 per cent, to close Friday's session at 498 yen at the Tokyo stock market. (klei/sda)