Quick Take: China Test-Flies World’s Largest Amphibious Aircraft

The world’s largest amphibious aircraft in development, China’s AVIC AG600, completed its maiden flight.

The AG600 — one of the country’s three major aircraft projects — flew for an hour Sunday morning after taking off from Zhuhai Jinwan Airport in Guangdong province.

Code-named “Kunlong,” the AG600 has a 38.8-meter (127.3-foot) wingspan, slightly larger than the Boeing 737 jetliner’s 36 meters. The plane has a maximum flight range of 4,500 kilometers (2,800 miles).

The plane can be used to combat forest fires, conduct marine rescues and perform military functions.

China’s other two key aviation projects are the Comac C919, the country’s first domestically developed passenger jet, and the Xi’an Y-20 large military transport aircraft. The AG600 contains more domestically made parts than the commercial C919, including China-designed turboprop engines.

China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co., the AG600’s manufacturer, expects to conduct a test flight of the aircraft over water in 2018. It had previously been scheduled to make its first flight in May after being unveiled in July 2016, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

Sunday’s successful test flight is part of China’s ongoing drive to expand its aviation sector and upgrade its military hardware amid tensions over territory in the South China Sea.

Earlier this year, the Chinese government said it was planning to spend over 1 trillion yuan ($152 billion) on its military in 2017 — nearly triple its budget in 2007.

In March, Xi’an Aircraft Industrial Corp. confirmed that it had received the green light to begin production of the Xi’an Y-20 military transport aircraft. The C919, produced by state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China, successfully completed two test flights in 2017.

The AG600’s manufacturer said 17 potential customers from within China have expressed interest in the amphibious aircraft.

Contact reporter Teng Jing Xuan (jingxuanteng@caixin.com)