The world’s largest amphibian seaplane, the Chinese AG600, made its first flight from Jinwan Civil Aviation Airport in Zhuhai, Guangdong, China. Large as a civilian airliner, the AG600 can take off and land from water. The aircraft, nicknamed Kunlong, was in development for seven years and will be used to perform firefighting, rescues at sea, and patrol China’s artificial islands in the South China Sea.

The AG600's first flight didn't involve any water. Instead, the aircraft flew for about an hour before returning to the airport to land. The AG600 is designed and manufactured by China’s state-run Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), which is responsible for the bulk of China’s new military aircraft, including the J-10 and J-20 fighters, the Y-20 heavy transport, and the Z-10 attack helicopter.

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The AG600 has a wingspan of 121 feet and a maximum takeoff weight of 53.6 tons, making it about as large as an Airbus 320 or Boeing 737. The amphibious seaplane features both a boat-like hull for water takeoffs and landings and a conventional, tricycle-style set of landing gears for operating from a runway. The airplane uses 100 percent Chinese components, including four WJ-6 turboprop engines descended from a 1950s-era engine designed by the Soviet Union.

Kunlong can accommodate up to 50 passengers, making it useful for evacuating ships during maritime emergencies or transferring personnel from islands not equipped with landing strips. The seaplane can also, according to Chinese state media, scoop up 12 metric tons of water in 20 seconds for fire fighting. The AG600 is unarmed, for now, but could probably carry torpedoes and depth charges in the anti-submarine warfare role.

While the AG600 clearly has civilian roles, it also has a military role that AVIC is likely downplaying. The seaplane is ideal for maintaining China’s artificial islands in the South China Sea. Built up by seafloor dredging from islets and shoals, these islands are, contrary to Beijing’s earlier statements, gradually becoming militarized with air bases, radars, and weapons. The islands help China monitor traffic in the South China Sea, which will form a protective belt not only for the Chinese mainland but also a bastion the country’s fleet of nuclear ballistic missile submarines. The Jin-class submarines provide a powerful “second strike” capability that ensures revenge attacks if China were the victim of a surprise nuclear first strike. China has claimed ninety percent of the South China Sea, a territorial claim that rankles neighbors.

AG600 landing after first flight. Xinhua

The AG600 will be useful in not only monitoring the South China Sea but keeping remote bases supplied with personnel and supplies. The aircraft can stay aloft for up to 12 hours and has a range of up to 2,800 miles, meaning it can easily make a round trip flight from mainland China to most of the South China Sea without refueling.

The AG600 has also scooped up 17 orders from various arms of the Chinese government. That number hasn’t changed since 2016. The crucial test will be if the aircraft gains any overseas orders.

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