An aircraft that can swim - the amphibious aircraft "Kunlong"

Science Fiction Network, November 30 (Xu Mingyang) According to Science and Technology Daily, at the just concluded 14th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, two large-scale firefighting/water rescue amphibious aircraft "Kunlong" AG600M independently developed by China made their debut. After climbing, turning, level flight, turning descent, approach and other flight preparations, the AG600M arrived at the designated water-dropping area and smoothly dropped 12 tons of water.

"Kunlong" is the AG600 amphibious aircraft, and its full name is the large fire-fighting/water rescue amphibious aircraft AG600. It is the first large special aircraft developed in my country in accordance with civil airworthiness standards. The development of AG600 fills the gap in China's large amphibious aircraft field. Together with C919 and Y-20, it is known as the "Three Musketeers" of domestically produced large aircraft.

"Kunlong" successfully completed its test flight in 2017 and its first successful flight at sea in 2020. It is mainly used for forest fire fighting, water rescue, marine patrol, etc.

The Kunlong has the advantages of high speed, high safety, large load capacity and wide search range. Its power system is 4 WJ6 turboprop engines, with a maximum take-off weight of 53.5 tons, a maximum level flight speed of 460 kilometers per hour, a maximum range of 4,000 kilometers, a maximum water injection volume of about 370 tons per refueling, a single water injection firefighting area of ​​more than 4,000 square meters, a maximum rescue radius of 1,600 kilometers, and a maximum number of rescue personnel of 50.

The AG600M unveiled at this expo is the fire-fighting model of the AG600 series, equipped with a fully functional fire-fighting mission system. It has a maximum take-off weight of 60 tons, a maximum water capacity of 12 tons, a minimum level flight speed of 220 kilometers per hour, and a range of 4,500 kilometers.

Xiong Xianpeng, Party Secretary and Chairman of AVIC General Aviation South China Company, said that the Kunlong AG600 is planned to be capable of performing firefighting missions and put into actual combat applications in 2023, and to obtain certification in 2024 and deliver the first batch of customers in 2025 to support the construction of a safe China.