The world’s largest amphibious aircraft—China’s AG600—is now all set to enter the market.
The AG600 aircraft has received its type certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). This essentially means that the aircraft now has the authorization to enter the market, according to the Chinese state media.
When an aircraft receives a type certificate, it means that a regulatory body has concluded that the aircraft’s manufacturing process and design satisfy all applicable airworthiness requirements.
The Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the manufacturer of the aircraft, stated in a press release that the type certificate marks a significant advancement in China’s capability to develop both the civil aircraft manufacturing industry and the large special-purpose aircraft sector.
The AG600 has been positioned as a crucial component of China’s emergency rescue system.
AVIC states that it is also the first Chinese-made large specialized aircraft built under civil-aircraft airworthiness requirements. It was developed to address the pressing requirements of the national emergency rescue system and the national natural disaster prevention and control system.
This aircraft is marginally larger than the popular single-aisle aircraft already available in the global market, according to reports in Chinese state media.
The development, testing, and certification process has been projected as a milestone for China’s rapidly growing civil aircraft manufacturing.
Huang Lingcai, the chief designer of the AG600 series, said, “It was a hard nut to crack” due to the complexity associated with the development of this aircraft. AVIC claims that its successful development also closes a vacuum in China’s large-sized amphibious aircraft industry.
AVIC was quoted by some media reports as stating that it is working to secure the AG600’s Production Certificate by the end of August 2025, with deliveries anticipated to kick start two months later, in October 2025.
Wang Yanan, chief editor of Aerospace Knowledge magazine, told the Global Times: “Meeting strict airworthiness standards, the aircraft has strong commercial potential for forest monitoring and emergency rescue,” said Wang, nothing that the AG600 meets domestic demand while boosting China’s global aviation competitiveness, driving the low-altitude economy’s growth. With final certifications pending, its deployment will create new opportunities for China’s aviation sector.”
Wang said that the AG600 satisfies domestic demand while increasing China’s global aviation competitiveness, propelling the growth of the low-altitude economy.
“Meeting strict airworthiness standards, the aircraft has strong commercial potential for forest monitoring and emergency rescue,” Wang added. Its deployment will open up new potential for China’s aviation industry, Wang continued, with final clearances still awaiting.
What All Is Known About AG600?
The AG600 is a hybrid aircraft that can take off and land on both land and water. It is intended for use in suppressing forest fires, maritime patrols, and search and rescue missions.
It might also be used to observe the oceanic environment, explore resources, and transport people between islands.
According to its developer’s data, it measures 38.9 meters in length, 11.7 meters in height, and 38.8 meters in wingspan. This gigantic aircraft weighs approximately 60 tons and has a maximum water storage capacity of up to 12 tons.
The manufacturer states that the aircraft is ideal for tasks such as communication, logistics, and firefighting due to its 4,500-kilometer operational range and a cruise speed of 220 kilometers per hour.
The AG600, along with the Y-20 heavy transporter and the C919 single-aisle passenger plane, is part of China’s major initiative to build a “large aircraft family” independently. It is an integrated avionics system, a fly-by-wire flight control system, a pressurized cabin, and systems for firefighting missions.
The project involved collaboration across 22 cities and provinces, 292 businesses and public institutions, and 16 universities, enabling China to independently develop the aircraft’s airframe, engines, and essential systems.
According to Cheng Zhihang, the general director of AVIC’s South China General Office, as quoted by the Global Times, the aircraft features a boat-like shape with wingtip floaters for water stability, a stepped hull, and wave suppression grooves for effective navigation in both calm and rough conditions.
Notably, with air and water having densities that are over 800 times different, engineers found it difficult to combine their disparate qualities, according to a recent state broadcast report.
Thus, to resolve the issue, the manufacturer conducted over 10,000 tests in hydrodynamic labs and wind tunnels to ensure the aircraft could function effectively in both environments. Eventually, they made technological advancements that allowed for successful amphibious flights.
The chief designer of the AG600 series stated that the aircraft’s current platform enables it to be adapted for various emergency rescue situations. It can be used for monitoring the ocean environment, maritime law enforcement, and island supply.
Notably, while China’s AG600 has been designed for civilian purposes, it may also have potential military applications.
For one, the aircraft can help China reduce reliance on conventional naval supply networks by delivering personnel, equipment, and necessary supplies to remote islands and military outposts in the South China Sea.
If stationed in the southern island province of Hainan, will could reach anywhere in the South China Sea in about four hours, and operate as a cargo or passenger carrier between the region’s Chinese islands.
The propeller-driven plane is now the world’s largest amphibious aircraft, surpassing Japan’s US-2.
More importantly, China now has a capability that its biggest rival, the United States, does not.
In 1967, the US Navy conducted its final amphibious aircraft mission, and 16 years later, in 1983, the Coast Guard logged its final flight. After the 1960s, the US became more interested in ballistic missile submarines and aircraft carriers, as per a USNI report.
While the US had an ambitious program earlier to convert an MC-130J Commando II special operations tanker/transport aircraft into a floatplane, it has since faded into obscurity with no latest updates.
Earlier, the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) attributed the proposed move to financial constraints. Thus, it is likely that the ascent of the Chinese AG600 and its potential applications will be keenly watched.
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