Photo: CCTV News

China's domestically developed large amphibious firefighting aircraft, the AG600 "Kunlong," received its Type Certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), indicating that it meets airworthiness standards.

This marks a major milestone in China's aviation industry and signals the aircraft's readiness to enter the market, CCTV reported on Sunday.

Developed by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the AG600 is the world's largest civilian amphibious aircraft, with a maximum takeoff weight of 60 tons and a capacity to carry up to 12 tons of water. It has a cruising speed of 220 km/h and an operational range of 4,500 km, making it ideal for missions such as firefighting, logistics, and communication, according to CCTV.

The aircraft is a groundbreaking technological achievement that will significantly enhance China's capabilities in emergency rescue, disaster relief and aerial firefighting.

After years of development, the AG600 achieved several major milestones, including successful land, water, and sea test flights. In February 2025, it completed its final round of testing, culminating in successful certification flights, according to CCTV.

A key feature of the AG600's design is its dual capabilities for both land and water operations, which presented major engineering challenges.

Cheng Zhihang, General Director of AVIC's South China General Office, said that the aircraft features a boat-like structure with wingtip floaters for water stability, along with a stepped hull and wave suppression grooves for efficient navigation in both environments.

CCTV reported that engineers struggled to balance the vastly different properties of air and water, with their density differing by nearly 800 times. To overcome this, they conducted over 10,000 tests in wind tunnels and hydrodynamics labs, ensuring the AG600 could perform effectively in both settings, ultimately achieving technical breakthroughs that enabled successful amphibious flight.

With the Type Certificate granted, the AG600 must next obtain its Production Certificate (PC) and Airworthiness Certificate (AC) for each unit before entering commercial operation.

This achievement is not just a technological triumph but a symbol of China's expanding independence and leadership in the aerospace sector. With the successful certification of the AG600, the nation has reached a new milestone in the development of large special-purpose aircraft, reinforcing its position as a growing force in the global aerospace industry, CCTV reported.

阅读原文：https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202504/1332459.shtml