September 20, 2026: The Y-12F is the latest version of the Y-12 twin-turboprop transport that entered service in 2016. The F model entered service two months ago as an Atmospheric Comprehensive Aerial Survey Aircraft. The Y-12F will conduct a nationwide comprehensive atmospheric aerial survey using integrated aerial survey capabilities to detect multiple pollutants, greenhouse gases, and cloud water.

The 8.4-ton Y-12F is equipped with two Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65B turboprop engines. The two-man flight crew can fly the aircraft for up to five hours, covering up to 1300 kilometers at a cruise speed of 250 kilometers per hour. The service ceiling is seven kilometers. The aircraft is designed to take off and land on small airfields. It requires a 500-meter airstrip to take off and a 350-meter one to land. Its maximum payload is three tons, and the cargo bay can hold three LD3 cargo containers; with seats installed, it can carry 19 passengers.

AVIC Harbin Aircraft Industry has manufactured more than 300 Y-12s since 1985, and production continues, with the number in service expected to double. The aircraft is widely used in remote areas of China and has been exported to seventeen countries in Asia, South America, and Africa.