Beijing: In a major leap for disaster management and firefighting technology, China has successfully demonstrated the immense capabilities of its domestically developed AG600 Kunlong amphibious aircraft. Earning the moniker “Water Dragon,” the massive aircraft recently showcased its ability to drop 12 tonnes of water in a mere two seconds, offering a robust solution to combat severe forest fires.
The impressive display took place during a large-scale firefighting drill in Chongqing on November 9. Two AG600 aircraft participated in the exercise, with one scooping water directly from a water body and the other loading up on a runway. According to official reports, one of the aircraft opened the eight doors of its four internal tanks simultaneously, releasing 12,000 litres of water. This created a massive deluge spanning 40 metres in width and 300 metres in length, effectively covering an area of over 12,000 square metres.
Highlighting the achievement on the social media platform X, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning shared a video of the drill. “China’s AG600 Kunlong, a homegrown amphibious aircraft, drops 12 tonnes of water in 2 seconds onto a burning forest, putting out the fire in an instant,” she stated.
Ranked among the world’s largest amphibious aircraft, the AG600 measures approximately 38.9 metres in length with a wingspan of 38.8 metres. With a maximum takeoff weight of 60 tonnes and an operational flight range of about 4,500 kilometres, it is engineered for extreme versatility. The aircraft can skim the surface of a lake or reservoir to collect 12 tonnes of water in just 20 seconds, allowing for rapid turnaround times during critical emergencies. Beyond firefighting, the Kunlong is designed for maritime search and rescue operations and other natural disaster relief efforts.
For context, aerial firefighting in India largely relies on Bambi Buckets slung beneath Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-17 V5 helicopters. During the recent May 2026 forest fire operations in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, the IAF dropped between 2,000 to 2,500 litres of water per sortie. While the Bambi Bucket remains a highly effective and agile tool for mountainous terrains, the AG600 boasts a payload capacity nearly five to six times larger, underscoring China’s rapid push toward heavy-duty, fixed-wing disaster response aviation.