Sea-Skimming Craft Spotted as China Expands its Naval Ambitions A mystery craft has been spotted in China resembling a vehicle designed to avoid radar by flying just a few meters above the sea, suggesting Beijing may be experimenting with a Soviet-era model the US...

A mystery craft has been spotted in China resembling a vehicle designed to avoid radar by flying just a few meters above the sea, suggesting Beijing may be experimenting with a Soviet-era model the US shelved last year #ekranoplan
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Sea-Skimming Craft Spotted as China Expands its Naval Ambitions A mystery craft has been spotted in China resembling a vehicle designed to avoid radar by flying just a few meters above the sea, suggesting Beijing may be experimenting with a Soviet-era model the US...

A mystery aircraft in China revives a Cold War-era wave-skimming project #ekranoplan

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Well, DAMN. There's an Ekranoplan ride simulator in the Mecklenburgian State Museum of Technology in Wismar, Germany.

Since I will never get to see an actual #Ekranoplan (it's in Russia + that's a major problem, for me especially), this may be the closest I could get.

Hmmmm. [scans airline sites]

China's Mysterious Ekranoplan Seen In Full For First Time The first full image of China's "Bohai Sea Monster" wing-in-ground effect craft has emerged, but major questions remain.

Chinas mysteriöses #Ekranoplan erstmals vollständig gesichtet.

Das erste vollständige Bild des chinesischen Bodeneffektfahrzeugs „Bohai-Seemonster“ ist aufgetaucht...

www.twz.com/air/chinas-m...

In 1967 entdeckten CIA-Satelliten ein Monster im Kaspischen Meer. Es war über 90 Meter lang, hatte zehn Düsentriebwerke und bewegte sich mit 500 km/h – aber nur einen Meter über der Wasseroberfläche. Es war kein Schiff. Es war kein #Flugzeug. Es war ein #Ekranoplan.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua1x...

No inevitably abandoned beached wreck prototype will ever be cooler than the Lun-class #Ekranoplan.

But when these hulks #endAmerica they will possibly be beach hotels in say Bar Al Mandab or in the #GulfOfCuba.

youtu.be/tdEMgU39S0w

What Do You Call an Ekranoplan With an Outboard Motor? If there’s one thing rctestflight] likes, it’s… probably radio controlled test flights. If there are two things [rctestflights] likes, the second one is probably ground-effect vehicles, AKA Ekranoplans. Tired of […read more

It's Book Quote Wednesday and the word is ZIP. An ekranoplan called SAUCY SUE is zipping across the Indian Ocean to Mombasa, entry point to the African megacity of Ken-Tan-Moz. #bookqw #spaceopera #ekranoplan www.benjeapes.com/index.php/ph...

Hear me read a longer extract at benjeapes.substack.com.

Le Bohai Sea Monster de la Chine suscite des inquiétudes croissantes quant aux ambitions militaires du pays Principaux renseignements Un énorme avion à effet de sol récemment photographié en Chine suscite des inquiétudes quant aux ambitions militaires de Pékin. Surnommé le « Bohai Sea Monster », cet engin semble s’inspirer des véhicules à effet de sol (GEV) de l’ère soviétique, connus sous le nom d’ekranoplans. Ces engins inhabituels, capables de voler à très basse […]

Le Bohai Sea Monster de la Chine suscite des inquiétudes croissantes quant aux ambitions militaires du pays #BohaiSeaMonster #Chine #AmbitionsMilitaires #Avion #Ekranoplan

China: Die Auferstehung des „Seemonsters“ - WELT Fotos aus einem Hafen im Norden Chinas legen nahe, dass Peking eine alte sowjetische Idee wieder aufleben lassen will: sogenannte Bodeneffektfahrzeuge. Das Projekt erinnert an ein chinesisches Vorhabe...

Es ist offensichtlich warum #China Interesse an der Technologie des #Bodeneffektfahrzeug #Ekranoplan hat:

Der Grund heißt " #Taiwan !"

Und die Marinestützpunkte im #Pazifik könnten auch damit versorgt werden.

www.welt.de/politik/ausl...

China resurrects Cold War-era ekranoplan China appears to be developing a new ekranoplan, a high-speed sea vehicle inspired by Soviet technology that utilised “ground effect” to fly at low altitudes over water.#China #Ekranoplan

#News China resurrects Cold War-era ekranoplan: China appears to be developing a new ekranoplan, a high-speed sea vehicle inspired by Soviet technology that utilised “ground effect” to fly at low altitudes over water.#China #Ekranoplan

1/144 Lun-class ekranoplan
1/144 ルン級エクラノプランが完成しました。
「地面効果」を利用し水面すれすれを高速で飛ぶ異形の船です。
実は意外と最近の1987年に就役し、すぐに退役となっています。
#ekranoplan #Экраноплан

China's Mysterious Ekranoplan Seen In Full For First Time The first full image of China's "Bohai Sea Monster" wing-in-ground effect craft has emerged, but major questions remain.

“China’s mysterious ekranoplan seen in full for first time” www.twz.com/air/chinas-m... #ekranoplan

China’s Mysterious Ekranoplan Seen In Full For First Time ## The TWZ Newsletter Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy. Email address Sign Up Thank you! Terms of Service and Privacy Policy We are getting our first full look at China’s wing-in-ground effect (WIG) craft. It was first identified last week by our friend and submarine warfare analyst HI Sutton. You can read his initial post at _Naval News_ here. It was originally spotted in an image with its nose section obscured. In that image, the flying-boat-hulled aircraft was pictured sitting on a pier situated on the Bohai Sea, which sits at the northwestern reach of the South China Sea. The craft seen on a pier along the Bohai Sea in China. (Via X) As we have discussed many times before, the Soviet Union was famed for its experimentation and semi-operational use of large WIG craft known as Ekranoplans. The capability and tactical concepts surrounding it never really caught on en-masse, but we are currently experiencing a renaissance of sorts for large WIG aircraft that aim to race above the thick air above the water with relative efficiency and speed (most can fly less efficiently at higher altitudes too). The U.S. is developing just such an aircraft, the Liberty Lifer, in hopes that it could be used to deliver heavy cargo, personnel and materiel to far-flung locales across the great expanses of the Pacific. In doing so it would help reduce some of the Pentagon’s looming logistic woes were it to fight across such a large theater. In the case of this mysterious aircraft being tested by China, it is loosely similar in scale to what we have seen of their new amphibious flying boat, the AG600, which is intended to perform resupply, search and rescue, and other missions, especially over the South China Sea. This WIG aircraft appears ideally suited for similar applications in the littorals. China’s AG600 amphibious aircraft. Flying low utilizing the thick cushion of air above the water to increase lift and decrease drag, the aircraft also stays under the surface/land-based radar horizon. Considering it is an aircraft, not a boat, it isn’t vulnerable to mines, submarines, and other dangers that can lurk even in seemingly lower-threat waters. Still, it is not a survivable asset in a highly contested combat arena, but if a war were to erupt between the U.S. and China, China would be fighting in their own backyard, unlike the United States. Vast areas extending from its shores will remain readily accessible for periods of time. This is where such an aircraft would be useful even in a high-end fight — providing logistical support to remote areas and especially in recovering downed aircrew and other personnel. Even sea control and anti-submarine warfare applications are real possibilities. The biggest claim surrounding this aircraft is that it’s jet powered. The image of its rear seems to point to that, but at the time we thought this remained very inconclusive as it looked like propellers may have been intended for it but not yet fitted. Still the exhausts looked large for a turboprop. This new pictures from the front is also inconclusive and there may be spindles or at least some sort of spike at the front of the engine nacelles, which would point to propellers. There are also upper inlets as well, which would mean two large inlets per nacelle if it was jet powered, which seems odd. It’s also quite possible that this uses a new hybrid-electric propulsion system, which may make a lot of sense for this kind of aircraft. Regardless, these are low-resolution images that are sparse in details, and the aircraft could end up being jet powered, but it remains a _significant_ question mark for us. As for the rest of the aircraft, it has a large joined v-tail, which is not uncommon for WIG craft. The wings have large outrigger wing-float sponsons on their tips and the hull appears to have smaller sponsons amidships. The nose is perhaps the most exotic element and it looks blended for efficiency, at least in a modern sense. The aircraft very likely leverages heavy use of composite structures allowing for weight savings, aerodynamic enhancement, and limited signature control as a byproduct. We also see a common flying boat stepped hull and a larger door open on its side, which would be useful for hauling cargo and recovering personnel. It’s also worth noting that this aircraft could very well be a technology demonstrator that is meant to test a variety of design elements. It could even be a subscale one, or it could be meant to at least inform larger designs. On that note, it has clear similarities to the Pentagon’s Liberty Lifter very large WIG craft that is in the works. Liberty Lifter. (Aurora Flight Sciences capture) So there you have it, our first full view of the “Bohai Sea Monster,” as Sutton calls it. As with any new aircraft ‘leaks’ out of China, we should see a steady stream of higher-resolution imagery of this craft in the weeks to come. _Contact the author: Tyler@twz.com_ ## Tyler Rogoway ### Editor-in-Chief Tyler’s passion is the study of military technology, strategy, and foreign policy and he has fostered a dominant voice on those topics in the defense media space. He was the creator of the hugely popular defense site _Foxtrot Alpha_ before developing _The War Zone_. * * * * * Around The Globe * China * Indo-Pacific * Mysteries * Navies * News & Features * People's Liberation Army Navy (China) * Sea * South China Sea

Putting the PLAN in Ekranoplan www.twz.com/air/chinas-mysterious-se...

#Ekranoplan

A much bigger Chinese jet #Ekranoplan has been in the news lately but check out this awesome home-built sea-going manned #electric ekranoplan!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV-V...

(bonus: spot the #esptool)

Buenos días.

#Snoopy #Woodstock #AIGeneratedImages #ChatGPT / #DallE3 #Rusia #Daguestan #Kaspiysk #Ekranoplano #Ekranoplan #LunClassEkranoplan #CaspianMonster

Toupees are for chumps, but I could use me a WIG.

#ekranoplan

Still working on some new stuff, so in the mean time enjoy more #sketchbook diving. Women in sci-fi/fantasy #armor and an #ekranoplan for your enjoyment. #art

Roscosmos: Russia to Build First Nuclear Power Plant on the Moon and Explore Venus

"This was stated by the head of the state corporation Dmitry Bakanov in his congratulations on Russia Day."

www.kommersant.ru/doc/7797303

Надежда умирает последней.

Also being sought out, according to the document, are Russian specialists who worked on the discontinued #ekranoplan, a #hovercraft-type #warship first deployed by the #SovietUnion.

Bartini Beriev VVA-14 in the USSR. June, 1975
🎥 VIDEO: youtu.be/BaCsYpdaXXk
📷 HD IMAGE: dronescapes.video/Bartini
#airplane #ekranoplan #coldwar #ussr #russia

Redirecting...

www.facebook.com/share/v/1Lcm...
#Ekranoplan #SovietTechnology #SovietAviation #SeaMonster #LunClass #WIGVehicle #WingInGroundEffect #ColdWarTechnology #AviationEngineering #AlternativeTransport #NavalEngineering #TechHistory #TransportInnovation #MilitaryHistory#ColdWarEra #SovietUnion#NavalHistory

Skizze eines Ekranoplans mit mehreren Triebwerken, der sich über Wasser befindet, mit einer flachen Rumpfform und einem angehobenen Vorderteil.

Das Kaspisches Seemonster war ein sowjetischer #Ekranoplan, ein Gefährt, das knapp über der Wasseroberfläche flog. Mit einer max. Abflugmasse von ca. 550 t war es eines der schwersten Fluggeräte überhaupt.

#Eureka #Quiz

Quantum communications. Smolny told how St. Petersburg enterprises participate in the high-speed railway project

"The quantum-protected networks being created will be used to protect the company's information systems ..."

www.fontanka.ru/2025/03/06/7... #Russia #Ekranoplan

They can't come up with anything new, just sh*te copies of others ideas and they still manage to botch it #ekranoplan

Ths is just so @dreadships.bsky.social

#Ekranoplan

youtu.be/RPA33iQkTac?...

Ekranoplans are just highly evolved dinosaurs that didn't take the hummingbird off-ramp on the phylogenetic tree en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lun-cla...
#ekranoplan #groundeffectvehicles #shipevolution