Russian �Flying Saucers� to Grace American Skies

You might not have to go to New Mexico to see a UFO � flying saucers are coming to your home skies, thanks to Russian aircraft designers. The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command has signed an agreement with Russia�s EKIP Aviation concern to cooperate in the production of unique flying saucer-shaped aircraft developed in Russia, perfect for putting out forest fires and monitoring oil pipelines.

Originally developed in 1992, the alien-looking aircraft failed to secure funding from the Russian government. Twelve years later, the U.S. and China are very interested in making it work.

Obviously, the unusual round shape in itself makes such a vehicle exciting, but what are the practical applications? �This is a radically new craft,� Alexey Konovalov, EKIP�s executive director, explains. It doesn�t require a long runway and can land on sand, but most importantly, the shape of the aircraft is a brilliant solution for getting rid of vibration, a long-time problem in aircraft design. EKIP plans to build the first unpiloted vehicles that could be used for monitoring hard-to-reach areas and then move to building larger craft weighing up to 100 tons. The unpiloted EKIP �ships� could aid in putting out forest fires as well as collecting information that could be transmitted to a land base, Konovalov said.

Originally, the Russian government had promised funding for the project, but in 1995, three years after the construction commenced, all funding was cut off. Private investors couldn�t be persuaded to commit the millions of dollars necessary to continue work on the craft, Konovalov laments. Now, with the agreement between EKIP and the Naval Air System Command signed, EKIP is waiting for the funds to come in and in the meantime, negotiating with China to discuss a possible joint venture.

Russian designers will keep the rights to their unique work, but the vehicles might be produced either in Russia or the U.S. Currently, the plan is to test the aircraft in 2007 and launch it into mass production in another five years. Until then, any strange shapes in the sky are certain to be flown by little green men.




Out,
Russian

Just a thought that popped in my mind.

Now that the US is funding flying objects that looks like UFO's, they have a much better reason for UFO sightings. They can simply claim it was one of these.

Yes they could. Really nice aircraft though. See what Russian people can come up with

Ya it's nice. It makes me wonder though, what are the advantages of having it saucer shaped? Is there a specific reason for that?

Other EKIP threads on ATS...

Ekip "Flying Saucer"

USA to "devour" unique Russian "UFOs"

US confirmed purchase of Russian UFO's!

EKIP vehicles bridge the gap between traditional aircraft, hovercraft, and ekranoplanes. The fuselage is a thick lifting body capable of holding large cargos inside. Ports underneath the fuselage can force air under the flat underside, permitting hovercraft-like operation on an air cushion. However, there is no skirt as in a traditional hovercraft so power consumption will be quite high during hovercraft ops.

At higher speeds the lifting body shape can operate as a traditional aircraft, or as an ekranoplan flying in ground effect. Both modes greatly reduce or even eliminate the need for blowing under the fuselage.

The top surface of the fuselage, however, does require extensive boundary layer control. Aviation Concern EKIP employs a patented system BLC system to prevent separated flow over the rear upper surface of the fuselage. A row of slots on the top of the fuselage blows a sheet of vortices over the rear surface of the fuselage. Spanwise flow inside each vortex cell keeps flow attached to the wing/body with less overall energy requirement, compared to traditional "straight" boundary layer blowing. EKIP claims their BLC system draws only 6-8% of engine power.

The EKIP prototypes have two high bypass turbofans for forward propulsion and boundary layer blowing. Additionally there are two auxiliary turboshafts to provide lift under the body in air cushion mode. At very high gross weights the turboshafts may be needed during ekranoplan flight as well.

The acronym "EKIP" stands for "EKologiya i Progress" (ecology and progress).

curious to see the action this craft actually can do once the "scalemodel testing" have passed succesfull and full scale production gets started..

i think it will use the same air cushion effect for departing and landing as the earlyer " beast of the karpatic sea" creations did...

Wow, a totally new civilian craft that the military hasn't been using for years already in secret! It's just like.... well its sort of like... actually I don't think that's ever happened in the aircraft industry. You know what that means right?

do a search on internet for:
the beast of the kaspian sea !

splendid pix and even a video !