China approves world’s biggest amphibious plane, AG600, for mass production

China’s home-grown AG600, the world’s largest amphibious aircraft, has been given the green light for mass production, marking a step forward in building an independent and globally competitive aviation industry.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) certified the plane on Wednesday, confirming that its developer, the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (Avic), has established a reliable system to consistently produce aircraft that meet safety standards, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

Avic said the approval was a milestone towards a “more high-end and standardised” civil aviation manufacturing sector, and that it “strengthened China’s ability to independently build a complete civil aviation ecosystem”, CCTV reported.

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The development is part of China’s broader push to build a self-reliant civil aviation industry and position itself as a major player in the global sector. The goal has gained urgency in light of the United States’ recent technology curbs, including restrictions on jet engine exports.

The AG600 is one of three large aircraft developed domestically, alongside the Y-20 strategic transport plane and the C919 narrowbody airliner – both in active service.

China developed the AG600 to meet urgent needs in emergency rescue and natural disaster prevention and control, state media previously reported.

With a maximum take-off weight of 60 tonnes and a practical range of 4,500 kilometres, the aircraft can carry up to 12 tonnes of water for firefighting missions.

The AG600’s development involved hundreds of supporting enterprises and tens of thousands of components, underscoring China’s ability to coordinate the design and manufacturing of large specialised aircraft, as well as managing their complex supply chains, according to state news agency Xinhua.

The project also provided “replicable management experience and technical standards for future domestically developed aircraft”, the report added.

The AG600 entered batch production and final assembly in July last year , with the CAAC issuing a type certificate – confirming its design meets airworthiness standards – in April.

Avic now plans to expand the AG600 product line and strengthen the country’s aviation-based emergency response capabilities, according to Xinhua.

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