Impressive Soviet Super-Vehicle Dating Back To 1980s
- 10 years ago
The Lun-class Ekranoplane was considered to be one of the Soviets' greatest weapons and could have inflicted a great deal of damage - it might in the near future as well.
The military technology available in the 1980s may not be as impressive as today’s, but some examples were certainly advanced for their day. The Lun-class Ekranoplane was considered to be one of the Soviets' greatest weapons and could have inflicted a great deal of damage - it might in the near future as well.
Employed in 1987, this super-vehicle combining plane, boat, and hovercraft was created for anti-surface warfare, specifically to counter a major NATO attack.
243 feet long and weighing 2 million pounds, the fuel-efficient Ekranoplane could carry hundreds of tons of cargo and soldiers in addition to cutting-edge radar and tracking systems; anti-submarine functions; six anti-ship missile launchers; and nuclear warheads.
The Ekranoplane was the first turbojet-powered hovercraft, had an operational range of more than 1,200 miles, and could skim the water's surface at 340 miles per hour and a 16-foot altitude.
Not without weaknesses, the Ekranoplane tipped if sharply banked, had to be launched into the wind; required additional fighter support; and was susceptible to air attacks.
The only complete Ekranoplane to be used was retired in the late 1990s and now rusts away on Caspian Sea shores.
The military technology available in the 1980s may not be as impressive as today’s, but some examples were certainly advanced for their day. The Lun-class Ekranoplane was considered to be one of the Soviets' greatest weapons and could have inflicted a great deal of damage - it might in the near future as well.
Employed in 1987, this super-vehicle combining plane, boat, and hovercraft was created for anti-surface warfare, specifically to counter a major NATO attack.
243 feet long and weighing 2 million pounds, the fuel-efficient Ekranoplane could carry hundreds of tons of cargo and soldiers in addition to cutting-edge radar and tracking systems; anti-submarine functions; six anti-ship missile launchers; and nuclear warheads.
The Ekranoplane was the first turbojet-powered hovercraft, had an operational range of more than 1,200 miles, and could skim the water's surface at 340 miles per hour and a 16-foot altitude.
Not without weaknesses, the Ekranoplane tipped if sharply banked, had to be launched into the wind; required additional fighter support; and was susceptible to air attacks.
The only complete Ekranoplane to be used was retired in the late 1990s and now rusts away on Caspian Sea shores.