Anyone have updated info on the Chinese AG600?

God I wish we had this airplane!  Think about it.  The Marine Corps and Navy are all "jacked up" on the idea of distributed operations...they talk about ops from small islands...we're talking about operations with ships that aren't generally viewed as amphibious transports and that are "riskable" (is that a word)?

But we don't have an amphibious airplane that has the size to carry a large load to those small island bases...a large plane that can rescue the crew of a ship or even a transport plane that goes down at sea.

We don't have a modern day Convair R3Y Tradewind but the Chinese do.

I'm really interested in the progress they've made on this project.  Is it a capability gap that many won't acknowledge?

I think so.

My thinking is evolving on the fight in the Pacific.  I finally get what HQMC is doing.  My problem is I don't agree with transforming the entire force for a single fight.

My rationale?

The fight in the Pacific will be a major league Navy and Air Force affair.  In that environment we (the Marine Corps) will be playing a supporting role to the bigger battle at sea and in the air.  I get it.

But there will be skirmishes on land.

Those skirmishes will be highly lethal, highly mechanized and will be characterized by intense supporting fires.

Don't change the organization just create MAGTF that fits that region.  Oh and buy some key enablers...like a freaking seaplane..just like the Chinese are doing.