Development of Ekranoplans

The 6 engines r turned off after the WIG mode is reached. It'll run out of fuel otherwise! Perhaps this type will use 4-6 front engines while in the airplane mode.

Is it wrong that I ran into this pic

and immediately started dreaming of a UKSK armed modern version

Can the UKSK even be used at those speeds?
They probly need to be angled, and maybe use different missiles.

Probably not.
I'm not at all seriously suggesting it, its just what came into my head

Last year article: http://inosmi.ru/social/20171117/240785601.html

If missile tubes face forward or backward, CM could be launched at ANY SPEED!

This is an amazing concept, be it in ASW, transport, anti-ship or land attack roles. Low-observable, with long range, heavy weapons and the capacity to stay for long periods floating on the sea it combines much of the best of aircraft and ships. I remain convinced, the time will come for such an idea to materialize into a successful product.

Not sure it would work, but if this concept could be made lightly-submersible (say to 10 meters depth) in order just to "disappear" from the surface of the sea, you could even think of having the stealthiness of a sub and the speed of a plane Added to existing and prospective Russian AShM capable of striking from stand-off distances it would be exceedingly difficult for a surface group to counter such a weapon. A sub is exposed to retaliation when it launches its missiles since it has very limited mobility and has to rely on escaping detection after the attack, but this one would simply fly away or hide somewhere else, most ASW platforms are not even faster, fighters could be easily outranged. Torpedos or missiles could de dodged by changing element. Due to its size it could even have AD missiles onboard so the incoming missiles could be shot down and their carriers put at risk, in the improvable case that they could find the source of the attack.

Well you wouldn't just meet one big wave suddenly, you'd rise as the swell increases.
From recollection can fly several hundred meters altitude, just loses a bunch of efficiency.

hoom wrote:Well you wouldn't just meet one big wave suddenly, you'd rise as the swell increases.
From recollection can fly several hundred meters altitude, just loses a bunch of efficiency.

Unless is designed by Bartini  

Ekranoplan flying on 8km ? et voila

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartini_Beriev_VVA-14

Isos wrote:
What would happen if it meets a big wave ?

Well, they fly several meters above the sea (like 4 to 12 normally) and depending on the model, even higher. On top of that the aircraft in movement has a momentum that can be used to go higher to "jump" an obstacle if need be.

Even when they can sustain very heavy sea states, if they expect a very heavy storm they can always use their excellent mobility to avoid it... much better than a ship actually.

Or at least some of them could climb & fly above the weather, if needed. Ekranoplans can also be used in Antarctica better than planes to move cargo & people across it, as most of the 6th continent is covered in ice. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_stations_in_Antarctica#Map
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_in_Antarctica#Roads

Tsavo Lion wrote:Or at least some of them could climb & fly above the weather, if needed. Ekranoplans can also be used in Antarctica better than planes to move cargo & people across it, as most of the 6th continent is covered in ices

true but still some time to thsi moment though Not in my lifetime anyway

Tsavo Lion wrote:Or at least some of them could climb & fly above the weather, if needed. Ekranoplans can also be used in Antarctica better than planes to move cargo & people across it, as most of the 6th continent is covered in ice. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_stations_in_Antarctica#Map
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_in_Antarctica#Roads

A big advantage of WIG is apparently that you can make the wings much smaller and the plane much bigger. At least at the bigger end of their size, where these things could act as an ultra-fast corvette, you cannot really fly higher than some meters above the sea. Making them smaller is of course an interesting option, but takes away some of the best advantages of ekranoplans, that they can not only fly economically but actually pack a huge punch for a plane (hell, they could be even turned into strategic carriers!) and would force you to design wings big enough to fly conventionally.

Perhaps new morphing wings could be designed so they can change their shape/size for more efficient flight out of WIG mode.
Russia will restore the fleet of ekranoplans
http://www.ng.ru/armies/2018-06-25/8_7252_ekranoplan.html?print=Y

Development of ekranoplans apparently covered in current armaments plan:

http://tass.com/defense/1015327

They want to use them in the Arctic, Black & Caspian Seas:
https://russian.rt.com/russia/article/540969-ekranoplan-rossiya-orlan?utm_source=smi2

There, waves don't get as high as in the Far East.

LMFS wrote:Development of ekranoplans apparently covered in current armaments plan:

http://tass.com/defense/1015327

By 2027 it will be developed a prototype

MOSCOW, July 30. /TASS/. A prototype of the Orlan wing-in-ground-effect craft armed with missiles is expected to be developed in Russia under the state armament program through 2027, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said on Monday.

Why Russia again needs military ekranoplans
https://vz.ru/society/2018/8/1/934910.print.html

They can also perform some missions now done by tiltrotors.

Charly015 has pics of a model with missiles http://charly015.blogspot.com/2018/08/ekranoplanos-de-combate-partir-de-2020.html



Apparently from IMDS 2013 but an interesting concept.

Rescue ekranoplan "Chaika" with a mass of about 50 T
http://www.ng.ru/news/626083.html?print=Y

I'm waiting for its prototype pictures!

https://tvzvezda.ru/news/opk/content/201707141733-acko.htm

https://ria.ru/arms/20170710/1498179442.html

https://ria.ru/defense_safety/20170710/1498181850.html

Shock Wave-craft: horror flying above the crests of waves

Russia has everything necessary for the revival of a unique vehicle

Alexei Leonkov, military expert of the magazine "Arsenal of the Fatherland"

https://zvezdaweekly.ru/news/t/2018917911-CoYQH.html

They should reviwe this one Italina design





https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartini_Beriev_VVA-14

To be honest I always thought that Bartini design was brilliant... I mean just the aircushion undercarriage so it can land on snow or ice or water or land and anything in between... though lack of wheels and brakes would make the landing and takeoff runs quite long but who cares?

Big high bypass cold air turbofans blowing high volumes of air under its wings should have made it rather better too.

It did have undercarriage though

GarryB wrote:To be honest I always thought that Bartini design was brilliant... I mean just the aircushion undercarriage so it can land on snow or ice or water or land and anything in between... though lack of wheels and brakes would make the landing and takeoff runs quite long but who cares?

Big high bypass cold air turbofans blowing high volumes of air under its wings should have made it rather better too.

It supposed to fly up to 8000m but I am not sure how much ti would be complicating construction. But as ekranoplan cold be god weapon for ASW. topedo,mines cannot harm it flies faster then chopper and has way longer range...