China has officially inducted its homegrown large transport aircraft Y-20 to join the fleet of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force.

Due to its huge size as well as its deep and wide fuselage, the PLA has given the nickname of “Chubby Girl” to the Y-20. The plane can take off carrying a weight of up to 200 tonne, and it is designed to transport cargo and troops over long distances in diverse weather. Its range could extend to almost 8,000 kilometers when carrying 40 tons of freight. The Y-20 is powered by four turbofan engines. Its fuselage is designed to hold more cargo and larger equipment. The manufacturer said that other variants of the Y-20 would be developed in the future, according to Shanghai Daily.

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The PLA said that the plane would have a great international responsibility as China is developing its first overseas military base in Djibouti. China has been improving its research into advanced new military equipment including submarines, aircraft carriers, and anti-satellite missiles. The PLA Air Force needs better transport aircraft to fulfill its military responsibilities including safeguarding national security as well as domestic and international rescue and relief work.

“The Y-20’s entrance into service marks a crucial step for the Air Force in improving its ability in strategic power projection,” PLA Air Force spokesman Shen Jinke said in a statement.

According to CNN, “Chubby Girl” is frequently being compared to the Boeing C-17, the large military transporter that has been used to carry U.S. troops and cargo around the world for the past two decades. In addition, the Y-20 is also comparable to the Russian-made IL-76. Shen said that Y-20 is more advanced compared to the IL-476.

Beijing-based military expert Li Jie said that the Chinese military has a chance through the Y-20 to demonstrate its growing expertise in building aircraft. The techniques used in “Chubby Girl” could also be applied to other heavy military aircraft such as bombers, Li explained.

The Y-20’s maiden flight took place in January 2013, and it made its debut at the 10th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in November 2014.

TagsPeople’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force, Y-20 aircraft