Due to the sales performance of the BAe 146, British Aerospace announced a development project in early 1991 to produce a new variant of the type, powered by two turbofan engines instead of four, that was offered to airlines as a regional jet aircraft.
Debido aos bos resultados das vendas do BAe 146, British Aerospace anunciou un proxecto de desenvolvemento a principios de 1991 para producir unha nova variante do modelo con dous motores en vez de catro, ofrecido ás aeroliñas como un reactor rexional.