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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