&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "China building flying boats like Soviets during cold war era? Viral images of 'Sea Monster' tech surfaces")
Social media is abuzz with images of China’s latest experimental vehicle, nicknamed the "Bohai Sea Monster". The craft looks like something straight out of a Cold War era science fiction Hollywood movie. A combination between a ship and an aircraft, the vehicle has the speed of a stealth. The newly surfaced images have raised concerns among defence analysts, who suggest that Beijing is reviving a decades-old Soviet concept amid possible military confrontation with US in the Pacific.
Known as an Ekranoplan the images first appeared on Chinese social media last week after naval analyst H.I. Sutton drew everyones attention towards the craft. In the image shared on social media, the flying-boat-hulled aircraft is perched on a pier in the Bohai Sea with twin tail fins, and four jet engines mounted on its wings, according to the South China Morning Post.
The Chinese authorities are yet to say anything on the viral images.
What is an Ekranoplan
The wing-in-ground effect (WIG) craft, dubbed the ‘Bohai Sea Monster’ or the Ekranoplan is a combination between a ship and an aircraft having the speed of a stealth. It flies just a few meters above water or a cushion of air using the aerodynamic interaction between the moving wing and the surface below.
The Ekranoplans has the capability of moving faster than ships and cannot be easily detected due to their low radar profile. Also they are more fuel-efficient than low-flying aircraft and are perfect to operate in challenging weather conditions.
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On the flip side, they poses limited maneuverability and rely on calmer seas to function properly.
Strategic implications
The "Bohai Sea Monster" could play a major role in the Asia-Pacific. The craft, due to its high speeds reach hotspots like Taiwan or the South China Sea in about four hours and help in implementing China's plans of island seizures or blockades, reported moneycontrol.
And its capability of flying faster than ships without being easily detected due to their low radar profile can help in moving troops and supplies into contested areas quicker than expected.
