Upgraded Airframe Set for Flight Tests Later This Year
Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) has finished assembling the latest prototype of its AG600 Kunlong amphibious aircraft. Prototype 1003, which rolled off the production line on 26 December at Zhuhai Jinwan Airport, has been described as an “upgraded” version of the first flying prototype (1001), with Chinese media noting that several changes have been made to the fuselage and wing structure.
Images of the latest prototype, which is the third overall but only the second one capable of flight, indicate the airframe has undergone a number of design modifications, including to its nose and cockpit section. The re-designed platform is set to undergo a series of ground tests before taking to the skies later this year, according to AVIC.
The latest developments come after state-owned broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) revealed last February that AVIC’s Flight Automatic Control Research Institute (FACRI) in Xi’an has developed a flight simulator to train future AG600 pilots.
Powered by four WJ-6 turboprops, the AG600 conducted its first take off from the sea in July 2020, following its first land take off in December 2017. In May 2018, AVIC was quoted by the Xinhua News Agency as saying that the AG600, which has a reported range of up to 4,500km, was expected to be available for delivery to customers by 2022, but this now appears to be unlikely, given the recent changes made to the original design.
The AG600 is expected to be capable of collecting 12t of water in 20s when configured for aerial firefighting, but can also be used for SAR operations and transport missions, as it can carry 50 passengers, according to Xinhua. AVIC has stated that the AG600 can also be customised to carry out other special missions if required, meaning it could be used for both civilian and military applications – the latter could include surveillance and/or logistics support, particularly in the South China Sea, where it could transport personnel and supplies quickly and at short notice to Chinese airstrips established on reclaimed land.
Gabriel Dominguez for MON
