China’s new large amphibious aircraft goes into production and final assembly

AG600 can reach anywhere in South China Sea within four hours of Hainan and move cargo or passengers between Chinese-controlled islands, Xinhua says

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The front assembly for the first batch-produced AG600 aircraft was delivered on June 30. Photo: CCTV

Published: 2:02pm, 5 Jul 2024Updated: 9:02pm, 5 Jul 2024

China’s new large amphibious aircraft – the biggest in the world – has gone into batch production and final assembly, state news agency Xinhua reported.

The plane, known as the AG600, is designed for maritime patrols and search and rescue operations. From the southern island province of Hainan, it could reach any location in the South China Sea within four hours and it could be used for cargo or passenger transport between Chinese-controlled islands, according to state media.

Its developer, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), told Xinhua on Tuesday that the front assembly for the first batch-produced AG600 was delivered on June 30.

It took three months to produce the aircraft’s front section. Photo: CCTV

It said the delivery of the plane’s front section – which took three months to make – marked the start of batch production of the aircraft.

Final assembly of the amphibious plane will be done in the southern city of Zhuhai, in Guangdong province, by AVIC subsidiary AVIC General Huanan Aircraft Industry Co, Xinhua reported.

The AG600 was developed to meet growing demand for an emergency rescue aircraft that could be used in maritime searches. Work started on the plane in 2014, with maiden flights conducted over land in 2017 and at sea in 2020, according to state media reports. Airworthiness tests began this year.

China is trying to develop more home-grown aircraft – like the AG600, the Y-20 large transport plane and the C919 single-aisle passenger jet – under a government plan to upgrade production equipment across industries through 2027.