Latest news with #BohaiSeaMonster
Metro
15-07-2025
- Science
- Metro
China's new secret weapon is a flying ship dubbed 'the sea monster'
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Or even a ship? No – it is something much more sinister. Roaring just feet above the sea, a sprawling shadow has emerged from the Bohai Sea, off the northern coast of China. This is the experimental resurrection of the Soviet Era 'ekranoplan', a hybrid between an aircraft and a ship, which can cruise over water at 340 mph. Pulling from the pages of the history of the Cold War, China has presented its own ekranoplan nicknamed – quite predictably – the Bohai Sea Monster. The dramatic reveal – part demonstration and part warning to its enemies – marks a bold escalation in the country's military expansion. Aviation expert Justin Bronk explained that China's apparent development of the experimental vessel highlights its willingness to try almost anything in the pursuit of tactical advantages over its rivals. He told RFE/RL about the plans: 'China is notable in its willingness to fund and test large numbers of different technical and technological solutions for military problem sets.' Bronk stressed that even designs with a low chance of success are being developed by the Chinese. He added: 'Presumably based on the logic that a few at least will prove to be unexpectedly useful and successful.' The 'ekranoplan' fits this profile perfectly. Historically, the Soviets were the main producer, building the infamous 'Caspian Sea Monster' in the 1960s. Some Soviet types were ginormous, but other types globally have always been much smaller. Until now. An image shared on Chinese social media shows the unique grey-painted aircraft in the background. Flying just above the surface, this Soviet engineering marvel was known for evading radar detection and is large enough to transport soldiers and missiles. 'Ekranoplans' utilize the ground effect – a cushion of air trapped between the wings and the water surface, to gain lift and maintain flight at low altitudes (typically a few meters above the water). This low-altitude operation makes them challenging to track and intercept. China has not yet revealed the name, manufacturer and price of its secret weapon – nor what it plans to use it for. Securing a strategic edge is vital to the country, particularly as all signs point to a possible invasion of Taiwan in the next couple of years. For years, China has poured billions into modernizing its armed forces – from investing in advanced weaponry, including hypersonic missiles, and expanding its nuclear arsenal. Samuel Paparo, commander of US Indo-Pacific Command, told the House Armed Services Committee hearing in Washington earlier this year that the Indo-Pacific command faces a confluence of challenges, mainly China. More Trending He said: 'Foremost among them is China's increasingly aggressive and assertive behavior. 'Their unprecedented military modernization encompassing advancements in artificial intelligence, [hypersonic missiles], space-based capabilities, among others, poses a real and serious threat to our homeland, to our allies and to our partners.' Last year, China's military, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) boasted itsgrowing capabilities through persistent operations against Taiwan. Paparo stressed that they have escalated by a whooping 300%, adding: 'Its aggressive military actions near Taiwan are not just exercises – they are rehearsals.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: More than 200 kids poisoned with lead at Chinese school after chef added paint to their food MORE: Woman bombarded with hundreds of Amazon packages she never ordered MORE: Incredible Pacific Sleeper Sharks footage captures feeding scenes over 3,000ft deep
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First Post
10-07-2025
- Science
- First Post
It's a ship, it's a plane… Is China using Soviet technology to build a flying boat?
Images on social media reveal that China has built its own flying ship, dubbed the 'Bohai Sea Monster'. This wing-in-ground effect (WIG) craft, commonly known as an ekranoplan, was first seen during the Cold War and developed by the Soviet Union read more We have all heard tales about the Loch Ness sea monster. What if we said there's a new sea monster that has surfaced in China? But this isn't an ordinary sea monster — it's one that could transform warfare. Before you get confused, let us clarify. New images have emerged on social media revealing what is believed to be China's wing-in-ground effect (WIG) craft, unofficially dubbed the 'Bohai Sea Monster.' This new experiment is a combination between a ship and an aircraft, promising stealthy speed but raising strategic questions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But what do we know about the Bohai Sea Monster? What is the significance of this maritime cargo lifter? Is that China's Bohai Sea Monster? Around 10 days ago, images of China's wing-in-ground effect (WIG) craft, dubbed the 'Bohai Sea Monster', began circulating on social media with Naval News reporting on its presence first. It was originally spotted in an image with its nose section hidden. In that image, the flying-boat was pictured sitting on a pier situated on the Bohai Sea, which sits at the northwestern reach of the Yellow Sea. China's own Ekranoplan was first spotted around two weeks ago. Image Courtesy: X According to the South China Morning Post, the images revealed a buoyancy float fitted to each wingtip and four engines mounted side by side on top of the craft's wings. The engines are widely considered to be jet-powered but military website The War Zone suggested they could be propeller engines. But what exactly is this flying boat? Also known as an ekranoplan, it's not a boat, not even a plane — it borrows from both. It essentially rides on the surface of water or a cushion of air using the ground effect — the aerodynamic interaction between the moving wing and the surface below. Amid Cold War tensions, the Soviet Union developed the most famous WIG aircraft, known as the 'Caspian Sea Monster'. Designed by Soviet designer Rostislav Evgenievich Alexeyev, it was the biggest and heaviest aircraft in the world of its time. It was 92 metres (302 feet) long and had a maximum take-off weight of 544 tonnes. A Lun-class Soviet-made ekranoplan, which is a naval craft and a ground-effect vehicle, on the Caspian Sea coastline in Derbent in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia. File image/Reuters The ekranoplan flew just one-to-five metres above the waves, taking advantage of the 'ground effect', 'a cushion of high pressure that forms under the wings of extremely low-flying aircraft'. The ship's proximity to the ground reduces drag, which in-turn increases speed and fuel efficiency. The combination of stealth and speed made the ekranoplan a formidable military vehicle, and could give the Soviet Union an edge in Cold War naval warfare. Even today, the biggest advantage favouring ekranoplans are that they are faster than ships, more fuel-efficient than low-flying aircraft, and are able to stay under radar horizons. The WIG is also believed to be able to withstand tougher weather and sea conditions compared to helicopters. But despite its apparent advantages, it never took off, becoming the mainstay of any country's naval forces. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Why? Air Marshal Anil Chopra (retired), the current Director General of the Centre for Air Power Studies, in a 2022 report explained that the WIG or Ekranoplan has multiple limitations. He noted that the WIG has manoeuvrability constraints and that while they would be advantageous owing to radar evasion, they are dependent on stable seas, impairing mission continuity. What's the significance of China's Bohai sea monster? It is believed that Russia, the United States, Germany, Canada, Japan have all developed smaller models of the ekranoplan. However, China's is believed to be jet powered. Some defence analysts note that the Chinese WIG's full-scale appearance and build quality make it one of the most ambitious ekranoplan projects seen in decades. Some analysts note that China's Bohai Sea Monster could play critical roles in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. A 2023 report published by the South China Morning Post that an ekranoplan could reach the South China Sea within four hours and transport passengers or cargo in and around the region. Experts further note that in case of a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, the Bohai Sea Monster would be perfect for amphibious landing operations. A Naval News report explained that the Soviet WIG were able to deliver troops and armoured vehicles directly on to enemy beaches. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While China hasn't confirmed or denied the development of a WIG, it's in line with Beijing's ongoing push for innovative maritime and amphibious technology. It has the AG600 – the world's largest amphibious plane with a maximum take-off weight of 60 tonnes and payload capacity of 12 tonnes – which has recently entered mass production. Check out our new video! Aurora's Liberty Lifter seaplane concept for @DARPA maximizes efficiency by flying in ground effect and provides fast, heavy-lift transport that does not require an airstrip or shipping port. — Aurora Flight Sciences (@AuroraFlightSci) September 24, 2024 Does the US have its version of an ekranoplan? Yes. The US Defence Department's research arm, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa), is reportedly working to develop an ekranoplan called the Liberty Lifter. According to Darpa, the 'Liberty Lifter could also provide sea-based search and rescue and disaster response at the scale of ships with the speed of air transport.' According to Aerospace America, the Liberty Lifter programme is currently in initial stages and it is planned to have a preliminary design review in 2025. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
Scottish Sun
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
China's terrifying new giant ‘sea monster' warplane pictured for first time – & it's a throwback to Cold War Soviet tech
The US and China seem to be in a race to bring back the Soviet era military craft BEAST FROM THE EAST China's terrifying new giant 'sea monster' warplane pictured for first time – & it's a throwback to Cold War Soviet tech CHILLING pictures have emerged showing China's terrifying new giant "sea monster" warplane for the first time. And the wing-in-ground effect (WIG) aircraft, commonly known as an ekranoplan, is a throwback to Soviet military tech from the Cold War era. 7 Picture shows a Chinese ekranoplan being tested in the Bohai Sea Credit: Hurin92/x 7 One of the pictures posted on Chinese social media purports to show the rear of a large wing-in-ground-effect craft on a pier in China's Bohai Sea Credit: Hurin92/x 7 The Soviet Lun-class ekranoplan lay dormant on the coast of the Caspian Sea for more than 30 years Credit: Getty For the first time, the mysterious Chinese military plane was spotted in the Bohai Sea - reportedly undergoing testing. Dubbed the 'Bohai Sea Monster' by aviation analysts, the plane was seen floating on blue waters. Another picture showed the craft partly covered at a naval pier. The vehicle has a boat-shaped fuselage with a horizontal stabiliser on top of the joined V-shape tail – a common configuration for WIG craft. It could be used to facilitate rapid coastal transport, resupply missions, or amphibious operations, according to aviation and maritime experts. China has been flexing its military muscles to intimidate Taiwan, which has hit back with increased drills of its own. It comes just months after satellite pictures showed China's terrifying new invasion barges lining up to form a floating bridge - amid a spate of war drills involving the army, navy and rocket force. The satellite images show three specialised barges, each with two arms of roadway, lining up next to each other. They connect to form a continuous bridge along which invading ground vehicles such as tanks could trundle ashore. Huge retractable legs anchor the barges to the seabed like stilts. China floods sea bases with nuke bombers, terrifying satellite pics show - as US warns Xi could SEIZE Taiwanese islands What is en ekranoplan? An ekranoplan, first developed by the Russians, is a military vehicle that resembles a hybrid between an aircraft and a ship. These vehicles are also known as ground-effect vehicles (GEV), wing-in-ground-effect (WIG) craft, or wingships. They are designed to fly at very low altitudes over a level surface, usually water, by taking advantage of an aerodynamic principle called the ground effect. An ekranoplan utilises the aerodynamic interaction between the moving wing and the surface below - which could be ground or water. When a wing moves close to the ground, air pressure on the underside of the wing increases, creating a cushion of air. This air cushion increases lift and reduces drag, allowing the vehicle to glide just a few meters above the surface. This is a dynamic air cushion that is created by the forward speed of the craft. A SOVIET RELIC Caspian Sea Monster, a 302ft Soviet Sea Monster, was a prime example of an ekranoplan. The aquatic beast is perhaps one of the weirdest-looking machines ever built, with four engines stacked in a row on each of its wings. It was bigger than a Boeing 747 and armed to the teeth with missiles, was beyond unique with eight huge jet engines. The hybrid ship-aircraft, officially named Korabl Maket, was built by the Soviet Union during the Cold War and weighed 240 tonnes when empty, with a 72ft height, a 123ft wingspan, and a top speed of 310mph. It was an experimental vehicle developed in the 1960s and intended to attack Nato nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers. It carried six anti-ship missiles in launch tubes at the top of its hull, which could travel up to 60 miles at three times the speed of light. The machine first entered service in 1966 and was continuously tested by the Soviet Navy, until it crashed in the Caspian Sea in 1980. It was decommissioned when the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s and lay dormant for more than three decades at Kaspiysk naval base, about 62 miles up the coast from Derbent. A second Sea Monster was designed for rescue and supply missions and was nearly completed by the early 1990s - but the project was scrapped when the Soviet Union collapsed, at the same time the existing ekranoplan was withdrawn from service. 7 The Soviet ekranoplan is now beached as a 'museum' in Derbent 7 The sea monster carried six anti-ship missiles in launch tubes at the top of its hullThe sea monster 7 AMERICA'S ANSWER The Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Pentagon's right arm, is building a ground-effect vehicle (GEV) expected to take to the skies from 2027. Called the Liberty Lifter, the aircraft will be responsible for the transportation of war logistics on a mass scale. The futuristic plane will be able to transport heavy and bulky equipment way quicker than existing cargo aircraft and ships while covering greater distances. As an ekranoplan, it will fly low over the ocean surface while fighting a wide range of weather conditions. It will also be able to fly at high altitudes up to 10,000 feet for short but frequent periods. Similar to a hovercraft, it will be able to glide over water on a cushion of air, allowing it to be quicker and more efficient. And its mass size will allow it to stay stable while carrying tonnes of goods. The DARPA said in a statement: "The Liberty Lifter program is currently designing and will build, float, and fly an affordable and innovative seaplane that can potentially transform fast logistics missions for the DOD and commerce." In addition to operating over water, the Liberty Lifter will also be able to cruise over any relatively flat surface, including rivers, deserts - and even snow fields. The United States considered building ekranoplans during the Cold War just like the Russians. American spies were once convinced that ekranoplans could be used for laying mines, as well as for anti-submarine warfare and search and rescue operations.
The Irish Sun
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
China's terrifying new giant ‘sea monster' warplane pictured for first time – & it's a throwback to Cold War Soviet tech
CHILLING pictures have emerged showing China's terrifying new giant "sea monster" warplane for the first time. And the wing-in-ground effect (WIG) aircraft, commonly known as an ekranoplan, is a throwback to 7 Picture shows a Chinese ekranoplan being tested in the Bohai Sea Credit: Hurin92/x 7 One of the pictures posted on Chinese social media purports to show the rear of a large wing-in-ground-effect craft on a pier in China's Bohai Sea Credit: Hurin92/x 7 The Soviet Lun-class ekranoplan lay dormant on the coast of the Caspian Sea for more than 30 years Credit: Getty For the first time, the mysterious Chinese military plane was spotted in the Bohai Sea - reportedly undergoing testing. Dubbed the 'Bohai Sea Monster' by aviation analysts, the plane was seen floating on blue waters. Another picture showed the craft partly covered at a naval pier. The vehicle has a boat-shaped fuselage with a horizontal stabiliser on top of the joined V-shape tail – a common configuration for WIG craft. It could be used to facilitate rapid coastal transport, resupply missions, or amphibious operations, according to aviation and maritime experts. China has been It comes just months after satellite pictures showed China's up to form a floating bridge - amid involving the army, navy and rocket force. The satellite images show Most read in The US Sun They connect to form a continuous bridge along which invading ground vehicles such as tanks could trundle ashore. Huge retractable legs anchor the barges to the seabed like stilts. China floods sea bases with nuke bombers, terrifying satellite pics show - as US warns Xi could SEIZE Taiwanese islands What is en ekranoplan? An ekranoplan, first developed by the Russians, is a military vehicle that resembles a hybrid between an aircraft and a ship. These vehicles are also known as ground-effect vehicles (GEV), wing-in-ground-effect (WIG) craft, or wingships. They are designed to fly at very low altitudes over a level surface, usually water, by taking advantage of an aerodynamic principle called the ground effect. An ekranoplan utilises the aerodynamic interaction between the moving wing and the surface below - which could be ground or water. When a wing moves close to the ground, air pressure on the underside of the wing increases, creating a cushion of air. This air cushion increases lift and reduces drag, allowing the vehicle to glide just a few meters above the surface. This is a dynamic air cushion that is created by the forward speed of the craft. A SOVIET RELIC Caspian Sea Monster, a 302ft Soviet Sea Monster, was a The aquatic beast is perhaps one of the weirdest-looking machines ever built, with four engines stacked in a row on each of its wings. It was bigger than a The hybrid ship-aircraft, officially named Korabl Maket, was built by the Soviet Union during the Cold War and weighed 240 tonnes when empty, with a 72ft height, a 123ft wingspan, and a top speed of 310mph. It was an experimental vehicle developed in the 1960s and intended to attack It carried six anti-ship missiles in launch tubes at the top of its hull, which could travel up to 60 miles at three times the speed of light. The machine first entered service in 1966 and was continuously tested by the Soviet Navy, until it crashed in the Caspian Sea in 1980. It was decommissioned when the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s and lay dormant for more than three decades at Kaspiysk naval base, about 62 miles up the coast from Derbent. A second Sea Monster was designed for rescue and supply missions and was nearly completed by the early 1990s - but the project was scrapped when the Soviet Union collapsed, at the same time the existing ekranoplan was withdrawn from service. 7 The Soviet ekranoplan is now beached as a 'museum' in Derbent 7 The sea monster carried six anti-ship missiles in launch tubes at the top of its hullThe sea monster 7 AMERICA'S ANSWER The Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Pentagon's right arm, is Called the Liberty Lifter, the aircraft will be responsible for the transportation of war logistics on a mass scale. The futuristic plane will be able to transport heavy and bulky equipment way quicker than existing cargo aircraft and ships while covering greater distances. As an ekranoplan, it will fly low over the ocean surface while fighting a wide range of weather conditions. It will also be able to fly at high altitudes up to 10,000 feet for short but frequent periods. Similar to a hovercraft, it will be able to glide over water on a cushion of air, allowing it to be quicker and more efficient. And its mass size will allow it to stay stable while carrying tonnes of goods. The DARPA said in a statement: "The Liberty Lifter program is currently designing and will build, float, and fly an affordable and innovative seaplane that can potentially transform fast logistics missions for the DOD and commerce." In addition to operating over water, the Liberty Lifter will also be able to cruise over any relatively flat surface, including rivers, deserts - and even snow fields. Read more on the Irish Sun The United States considered building ekranoplans during the Cold War just like the Russians. American spies were once convinced that ekranoplans could be used for laying mines, as well as for anti-submarine warfare and search and rescue operations. 7
The Sun
09-07-2025
- Science
- The Sun
China's terrifying new giant ‘sea monster' warplane pictured for first time – & it's a throwback to Cold War Soviet tech
CHILLING pictures have emerged showing China's terrifying new giant "sea monster" warplane for the first time. And the wing-in-ground effect (WIG) aircraft, commonly known as an ekranoplan, is a throwback to Soviet military tech from the Cold War era. 7 7 For the first time, the mysterious Chinese military plane was spotted in the Bohai Sea - reportedly undergoing testing. Dubbed the 'Bohai Sea Monster' by aviation analysts, the plane was seen floating on blue waters. Another picture showed the craft partly covered at a naval pier. The vehicle has a boat-shaped fuselage with a horizontal stabiliser on top of the joined V-shape tail – a common configuration for WIG craft. It could be used to facilitate rapid coastal transport, resupply missions, or amphibious operations, according to aviation and maritime experts. China has been flexing its military muscles to intimidate Taiwan, which has hit back with increased drills of its own. The satellite images show three specialised barges, each with two arms of roadway, lining up next to each other. They connect to form a continuous bridge along which invading ground vehicles such as tanks could trundle ashore. Huge retractable legs anchor the barges to the seabed like stilts. What is en ekranoplan? An ekranoplan, first developed by the Russians, is a military vehicle that resembles a hybrid between an aircraft and a ship. These vehicles are also known as ground-effect vehicles (GEV), wing-in-ground-effect (WIG) craft, or wingships. They are designed to fly at very low altitudes over a level surface, usually water, by taking advantage of an aerodynamic principle called the ground effect. An ekranoplan utilises the aerodynamic interaction between the moving wing and the surface below - which could be ground or water. When a wing moves close to the ground, air pressure on the underside of the wing increases, creating a cushion of air. This air cushion increases lift and reduces drag, allowing the vehicle to glide just a few meters above the surface. This is a dynamic air cushion that is created by the forward speed of the craft. A SOVIET RELIC Caspian Sea Monster, a 302ft Soviet Sea Monster, was a prime example of an ekranoplan. The aquatic beast is perhaps one of the weirdest-looking machines ever built, with four engines stacked in a row on each of its wings. It was bigger than a Boeing 747 and armed to the teeth with missiles, was beyond unique with eight huge jet engines. The hybrid ship-aircraft, officially named Korabl Maket, was built by the Soviet Union during the Cold War and weighed 240 tonnes when empty, with a 72ft height, a 123ft wingspan, and a top speed of 310mph. It was an experimental vehicle developed in the 1960s and intended to attack Nato nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers. It carried six anti-ship missiles in launch tubes at the top of its hull, which could travel up to 60 miles at three times the speed of light. The machine first entered service in 1966 and was continuously tested by the Soviet Navy, until it crashed in the Caspian Sea in 1980. It was decommissioned when the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s and lay dormant for more than three decades at Kaspiysk naval base, about 62 miles up the coast from Derbent. A second Sea Monster was designed for rescue and supply missions and was nearly completed by the early 1990s - but the project was scrapped when the Soviet Union collapsed, at the same time the existing ekranoplan was withdrawn from service. 7 7 7 AMERICA'S ANSWER The Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Pentagon's right arm, is building a ground-effect vehicle (GEV) expected to take to the skies from 2027. Called the Liberty Lifter, the aircraft will be responsible for the transportation of war logistics on a mass scale. The futuristic plane will be able to transport heavy and bulky equipment way quicker than existing cargo aircraft and ships while covering greater distances. As an ekranoplan, it will fly low over the ocean surface while fighting a wide range of weather conditions. It will also be able to fly at high altitudes up to 10,000 feet for short but frequent periods. Similar to a hovercraft, it will be able to glide over water on a cushion of air, allowing it to be quicker and more efficient. And its mass size will allow it to stay stable while carrying tonnes of goods. The DARPA said in a statement: "The Liberty Lifter program is currently designing and will build, float, and fly an affordable and innovative seaplane that can potentially transform fast logistics missions for the DOD and commerce." In addition to operating over water, the Liberty Lifter will also be able to cruise over any relatively flat surface, including rivers, deserts - and even snow fields. The United States considered building ekranoplans during the Cold War just like the Russians. American spies were once convinced that ekranoplans could be used for laying mines, as well as for anti-submarine warfare and search and rescue operations. 7
