Montreal's Bombardier (TSX:BBD.B) confirmed Thursday that the Iraqi government has ordered six CRJ900 regional jets valued at US$239 million, with an option for four more aircraft.
The sale comes nearly a month after the Montreal-based airplane manufacturer acknowledged that it was in talks with officials in the war-torn country.
The total contract would be worth about US$400 million if all options are exercised.
The order increased the number of firm orders of Bombardier's latest regional aircraft to 248. As of Jan. 31, it had delivered 1,471 CRJ Series aircraft, including 145 CRJ900 NextGen planes.
Launched last year, the CRJ900 provides operational savings from earlier CRJ models because of greater fuel efficiency and lower maintenance costs.
An Iraqi government spokesman told state-run television last month that a decision had also been made to buy 40 new airplanes from Boeing that will be delivered within 10 years.
The Bombardier and Boeing airplanes will be used to rebuild airline services in Iraq that have largely been grounded since 1991 when the United Nations imposed sanctions against Iraq following its invasion of Kuwait.
On the TSX, Bombardier shares lost three cents at $5.35 in trading Thursday morning.
