ZHUHAI (China), (Sputnik) — Moscow and Beijing have signed a contract on the delivery of two Russia-manufactured Be-200 amphibious aircraft to China with possible sale of two more planes in future, Russian Trade Minister Denis Manturov said Wednesday.
"An agreement on supply of 2+2 [delivery of two aircraft and a contractual right to buy two more] to China has been signed. The first delivery is expected to take place in 2018," Manturov told reporters.
2 November 2016, 08:39 GMT
He added that the promotion of Be-200 at foreign markets would help Beriev Aircraft Company to use its production capacities to the full extent and to produce six aircraft a year.
The Beriev Be-200 is well suited to firefighting missions. It can take in up to 12.5 metric tons of water in the space of a few seconds while traveling over a body of water before dropping the load on the flames.
