The Caspian Sea Monster was a secret Russian vehicle devloped during the cold war, a type of Ekranoplan or 'Ground Effect Vehicle'. They are a form of aircraft that fly a few meters above the surface, close enough that vortices cannot form under the wings. Very fast, stable and efficient. This one pictured had (has?) a lifting power of 1000 tonnes, could travel over 400km per hour and was effectively invisible to RADAR and SONAR, being above water but below the radar floor.
There's another, smaller one nearby. This type was kitted out as a missile platform and was intended to provide a serious hazard to shipping. Just a thought - aren't there organizations besides the Russian military who might want to move large quantities of stuff quickly and cheaply over great distances while being invisible to radar? The radar of those meddlesome coast guard people for instance, and their nosy friends at customs and immigration? (continues after the jump)
Created 2007-04-25 16:11:38 by strix and filed under things
Comments
Hung writes...
Really cool article, the google map links are really neat. Looks to be a small force of hovercraft/acv's near the small one as well. Thanks for doing the legwork :)
posted: 2008-03-22 09:17:02
Taptrick writes...
Actually, the first picture is not the "Caspian Sea Monster" represented in the second picture (which crashed in 1980), it is the "Lun" missile platform ekranoplan. The second, smaller one is not a missile platform, it is one of the three Orlyonok A90.125 troop transport which was in active service with the Soviet/Russian Navy from 1979 to around 1992-93
posted: 2008-04-28 19:48:14
PVC writes...
The big onr went by the (NATO?)nickname "Caspian Sea Monster", an caused heart attacks in the Pentagon when it was first seen in a satillite photo. The platform has many of the problems of any seaplane, but can move so much wieght with such efficiency that it's amazing…
Well, everyone knows the three main exports of Russia...
-guns
-narcotics
-people trafficking or sex trafficking
However, the Ekranoplan is extremely dangerous to use, on even choppy seas. It's almost guaranteed to ditch trying to cross large bodies of water. A red herring for logistics, for the situation you concocted.
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