The Belfast subsidiary of Bombardier (www.bombardier.com) has welcomed the news that the Canadian aerospace giant has confirmed an order for 20 Challenger 350 aircraft, worth around £377 million.

This will provide a boost for workers in Belfast, following the recent news that the company plans to make around 1,000 people redundant.

A spokesman for the firm in Belfast said: “We welcome the Challenger 350 order, as Belfast is responsible for the design and manufacture of the centre fuselage.”

Bombardier said that the Challenger 350 jet “builds upon the legendary segment-defining clean-sheet Challenger 300 jet”, adding: “Not only does it feature the very latest in avionics functionality, but it also offers the aerospace sector’s most advanced cabin, which maximises natural light and re-defines interior comfort and design sophistication, all the while maintaining the performance attributes that have become synonymous with the Challenger family.”