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The Caspian Sea monster: MD-160 "Lun"-class ekranoplan emerges on the water again after 30 years.

MD-160 "Lun"


The Caspian Sea monster: MD-160 "Lun"-class ekranoplan emerges on the water again after 30 years. 


The 380-ton MD-160 or "Lun"-class ekranoplan or ground-effect aircraft has been a very interesting technical project, but the thing is that the purpose of this kind of aircraft has been a mystery. The "Lun" was the ekranoplan or wing-in-ground (WIG) or ekranoplan technology demonstration system. 

WIG or ground-effect airplane (or vehicle) is hovering above the overpressure air bed. That makes it easier to handle low-level flights. The air bed can form by using the flaps, which can pull in, and that thing makes it possible to install the WIG-system also to supersonic jet aircraft. That system gives them good STOL-(Short-Take-Off and Landing) ability and increases the payload of the aircraft. 

There are rumors that the Soviet Union has been planned to use that aircraft or flying boat in the high-speed transporter for amphibious operations or antisubmarine warfare. The "Lun" has been also a very good equipment for giving resupply for nuclear submarines. The missile equipment of that ground-effect aircraft has caused speculation that the "Lun" was the multimission body, which can have many roles in the military world. 

Those missiles would have the ekranoplan a similar ability with the rocket assault craft in the amphibious attack, and that makes it possible that the fast amphibious warfare unit can shoot the salvo of those missiles to the beach, where it is heading. But it can also use them against ships and other targets. The ekranoplan is the wing construction where the aircraft is hovering above the air bed.  And the thing is that kind of bed, what is formed by using overpressure air, what is dam under the aircraft is making the low-level flight easier and safer.

 So the similar technical solutions, that are tested with "Lun" can install to conventional aircraft like Tu-26 "Backfire" or Tu-160 "Blackjack" bombers. If that air bed is made by using flaps, what can turn down, that thing gives those aircraft ability to make low-level attacks against enemy aircraft carriers and other similar targets safer. So the ekranoplan-technic is a very multirole thing, what can install in many other aircraft like fast tactical systems what gives them also the STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) capacity, and allows aircraft to rise airborne in the heavier cargo than usually. So that system could be one of the most capable things, that ever created in the aircraft. 


Sources:


Caspian sea monster: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caspian_Sea_Monster


Ground-effect vehicle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground-effect_vehicle


"Lun"-class ground-effect aircraft: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lun-class_ekranoplan


https://robbreport.com/motors/aviation/russia-lun-class-ekranoplan-caspian-sea-monster-moves-1234577120/


Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lun-class_ekranoplan

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