Update | China stages maiden flight of world’s biggest amphibious plane
AG600 designed to carry out marine rescues and battle forest fires
China’s domestically developed AG600, the world’s largest amphibious aircraft, performed its maiden flight on Sunday from an airport on the shores of the South China Sea, the latest step in a military modernisation programme.
China has stepped up research on advanced military equipment as it adopts a more muscular approach to territorial disputes in places such as the disputed South China Sea, rattling nerves in the Asia-Pacific region and the United States.
It returned about an hour later and taxied to its stand accompanied by martial music and greeted by crowds waving Chinese flags.
The state-run Xinhua news agency said the aircraft was the “protector spirit of the sea, islands and reefs”.
It had previously been expected to make its first flight earlier this year, but it is unclear why it was delayed after ground tests took place in April.
However, state media has also noted its potential use in the South China Sea where China, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Brunei all have overlapping claims.
Powered by four turboprop engines, the AG600 can carry 50 people during maritime search-and-rescue missions and can scoop up 12 metric tonnes of water within 20 seconds for fire fighting trips, according to state media.
The aircraft has received 17 orders so far from Chinese government departments and Chinese companies. It has a maximum flight range of 4,500km and a maximum take-off weight of 53.5 tonnes.
It can use conventional airports and also land and take-off from the sea.
China is in the midst of a massive military modernisation programme, ranging from testing anti-satellite missiles to building stealth fighters and the country’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, to add to an existing one bought from Ukraine.