Harbin's manufacturing industry has filled the gaps in China's equipment manufacturing and aerospace industries, and provided solid industrial guarantees for the country's national defense industry.

On Dec 24, 1985, the twin-engine utility aircraft Y-12, developed by AVIC Harbin Aircraft Industry Group, received a domestic civil aircraft certification issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

As a light multi-purpose aircraft, the Y-12 can be widely used in air inspections, airdrops, parachuting, ocean monitoring, and other tasks, in addition to short-distance passenger transport.

The aircraft has paved the way for China's general aviation companies to enter the international market.

Over the past 30 years, the Y-12 series aircraft have successively obtained certificates from 14 countries and have been exported to more than 30 countries and regions.

In addition, Harbin Electric Machinery Company Limited has shown strong performance in the research and development of hydropower equipment and light metal materials.

On May 29, 2019, the first runner comprising long and short blades for the world's largest single-machine capacity of 1 million-kilowatts hydropower unit—developed by Harbin Electric Machinery Company Limited—was successfully manufactured and approved by the project owner, China Three Gorges Corporation.

Meanwhile, Harbin-based Northeast Light Alloy Co has provided all light metal materials used in China's first domestically-developed aircraft, first nuclear reactor, first missile, first artificial satellite, and first ocean-going ship.