"Bohai Sea Monster", China 'revives' the ekranoplane that could dominate war

China is testing an experimental combat vehicle known as an ekranoplan, a hybrid of an airplane and a ship that flies several meters above the sea surface using ground effect.

The new aircraft was filmed along the coast of the Bohai Sea and due to its imposing appearance and resemblance to the "Soviet monster from the Caspian Sea", it has already been dubbed the "Bohai Sea Monster".

Ekranoplanes are nothing new. The Soviet Union used them during the Cold War to quickly transport troops and weapons, with the advantage of being almost completely invisible to radar. Today, the technology is coming back into focus, but in a much more advanced guise.

The Chinese model has massive floating wings, a hooked V-tail, and a streamlined fuselage with side doors for loading cargo or evacuating crew. The aircraft could be used for logistics, search and rescue operations, and even maritime reconnaissance or anti-submarine warfare.

The biggest unknown remains its propulsion system. It is speculated that it will be jet engines, but there are also assumptions that it will be a hybrid-electric system. Experts emphasize that such a combination could enable high speeds of over 500 km/h.

Interestingly, the US is also developing its own ekranoplane called the "Liberty Lifter", which will serve for the rapid transport of cargo and troops across the Pacific Ocean. Unlike China, which would operate near its own shores in the event of a conflict, the Americans are trying to solve the logistical challenges of fighting on a distant battlefield with this project.

Analysts also see the appearance of the Chinese ekranoplane as a psychological message to the West.

"China is investing in a whole range of experimental systems, relying on at least some of them to be useful," says military expert Justin Bronk.

As tensions in the region, particularly around Taiwan, continue to rise, this aircraft may not immediately enter operational use, but it clearly demonstrates China's ambition: technological, tactical, and symbolic. (A2 Televizion)