November 5, 2016: Moscow and Beijing have signed a contract on the delivery of two
Beriev's Be-200 amphibious aircraft to China with possible sale of two more planes in future, Russian Trade Minister Denis Manturov said Wednesday.
An agreement for supply of 2+2 (delivery of two aircraft and a contractual right to buy two more) to China's Energy Leader Aircraft Manufacturing Co. LTD has been signed at the 2016 International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition, Airshow China, in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province. The first delivery is expected to take place in 2018," Manturov told reporters.
Russian trade minister 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 Be-200 is a large aircraft that has the ability, among others, to take off and land in water, scoop up 12 tons of water and then drop that water on a wildfire in 18 seconds.