Soviet Ekranoplan Aircraft Carrier. Anyone….?

If this is real or gonna be soon...I hope we have something like it. What do you all think???? Thanks MS



www.disclose.tv...

"We all know of the unbelievably massive Lun class ekranoplan? This type of vehicle called in Russian ekranoplan uses so called ground effect – extra lift of large wings when in proximity to the surface. For this reason they have been designed to travel at a maximum of three meters above the sea but at the same time could provide take off, stable “flight” and safe “landing” in conditions of up to 5-meter waves. These crafts were originally developed by the Soviet Union as high-speed military transports, and were based mostly on the shores of the Caspian Sea and Black Sea. In 2005 crafts of this type have been classified by the International Marine Organization so they probably should be considered flying ships rather than swimming planes.

It is also interesting to note that this aircraft is one of the largest ever built, with a length of 73,8 meters (comparing with 73 of Airbus A380 The guys over at English Russia reckon this is a new project to investigate if the Ekranoplan design could be built into a aircraft carrier. Seeing as the “Big Luns” concept never really did take off (no pun intended) then it looks like this one is staying on the drawing board ( via thevintagenews.com )."

**RELATED ARTICLES READ MORE: www.disclose.tv...

a reply to: mysterioustranger



With the wing id showing CCCP isn't that old term for the Soviet Union that was dissolved in '89 or so?

Fast hover craft. I don't know about this particular design, but I remember hearing about their tech from way back.

Our hovercraft are LSTs by comparison (Large Slow Targets).

Ya know...I'm smart, how come I never thought of sea freight this way....like back in ww2...........I'm not smart

a reply to: mysterioustranger
Is it just me, or does the LERX, swing-wing and tail-plane look remarkably like its from a f-14 ???
Photoshop warriors?

This was designed as an assault landing craft for high speed flanking maneuvers on the north coast of Europe. Not every Soviet soldier was planning to run up the Fulda Gap. The CCCP lettering says that the carrier version was designed a while ago and likely leaked as a red herring. What planes might launch from the deck? The only advantage may be range but it would seem that flying planes on the deck with drop tanks would work better and allow for individual flight plans. If the troop transport Ekranoplan was unopposed it might have worked...somewhat. Any opposition made it another target. Near misses would splash water into the intakes which is bad news. Imagine clipping along at 300kts and having the port engines spit fan blades while starboard were maxed out. Any hits would be fatal; aircraft make fast but flimsy ships.

a reply to: intrptr

It's not a hovercraft, it's a Wing in Ground effect craft. It used ground effect to get airborne and could fly several hundred feet, unlike hovercraft.

a reply to: Aliensun

Yeah...I too noticed the old letters for the then Soviet Union...still though....now if they DID get that thing going....then we must have something in the West like it.......I hope

Completely fake. Such a vehicle would be unbelievably impractical.

The Erkanoplan is a ground effect vehicle too. They are not aircraft. They were designed for transporting Naval Infantry at speed across the black sea, and included some anti-surface capability.

a reply to: Ohanka

Actually it was studied whether it could be used in that role or not. It was never built, but it was studied, and artist concepts were done. The picture above is a concept of what it would look like potentially.

englishrussia.com...

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Ohanka

Actually it was studied whether it could be used in that role or not. It was never built, but it was studied, and artist concepts were done. The picture above is a concept of what it would look like potentially.

englishrussia.com...

Wow, interesting. Never heard of that one before, and i consider myself quite well read on the subject of Eastern Armaments.

Thank you

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: intrptr

It's not a hovercraft, it's a Wing in Ground effect craft. It used ground effect to get airborne and could fly several hundred feet, unlike hovercraft.

Okay, hovercraft on Steroids.

What you think of the pic in the OP? Is that a real, working, deployed , "ground effects" vehicle?

Seems a bit brightly painted to me. Camouflage doctrine has navy 'aircraft painted some other color than bright white to blend with the ocean when viewed from above, right?

Edit: Oh, nvm, I just read your 'artist concept' comment.

Never seen the OP pic before and can't say I'm sold on it.

No way could you have aircraft on deck when the thing is hauling along at 330kts plus.

The troop and tank carrying versions were in a documentary I watched years ago and seemed like one of those mad Ideas that were ahead of their time...Like the flying wing.


Be interesting to see if with modern tech they could be made even bigger for, say, fast freight across the Atlantic for instance. (Probably be cheaper than a plane as well as being able to carry a lot more weight).

Maybe its because i have been doing 3d animation for 25 years that i can instantly tell, but i'm still perplexed that the Op and others cant tell this is fake.

originally posted by: 3danimator2014
Maybe its because i have been doing 3d animation for 25 years that i can instantly tell, but i'm still perplexed that the Op and others cant tell this is fake.

Correct. This is a monstrosity designed to obfuscate other developments and leaked as a distraction. Gamesmanship has long been active in the field.

Its looks like a anime fans wet dream......

a reply to: 3danimator2014

the origional [ real ] Erkanoplan had a lot of engines - because it required massive thrust to accellerate from ` hull in water ` to WIG operational speed

the new fake is 3 times the size and has less engine power - oops

I think this WIG will not work as an aircraft carrier. For the pilots who have flown behind another airplane the efflux make very difficult to fly. As you fly in to land you must pass into or through the ekranoplan's jet thrust and wash. It would definitely take a Russian pilot to do this...not me!

a reply to: buddah6

I realise its just ancient propaganda....
But hypothetically, who says they would launch whilst in transit?

I think the next step in carriers will be submersible .