Lun-class ekranoplan – Foto's &video's

De Lun-klasse ekranoplan (also called Project 903) is a ground effect vehicle (GEV) designed by Rostislav Alexeyev in 1975 and used by the Soviet and Russian navies from 1987 until sometime in the late 1990s. It flew using lift generated by the ground effect acting on its large wings when within about four metres (13 ft) above the surface of the water. Although they might look similar to traditional aircraft, ekranoplans like the Lun are not classified as aircraft, seaplanes, hovercraft, or hydrofoils. Rather, crafts like the Lun-class ekranoplan are classified as maritime ships by the International Maritime Organization due to their use of the ground effect, in which the craft glides just above the surface of the water.

Bron: Lun-class ekranoplan op Wikipedia

The Lun-class ekranoplan was a unique and impressive vehicle that combined the features of a plane and a ship. It was designed by the Soviet Union in the 1970s and 1980s to operate as a fast and stealthy attack and transport vehicle over the water surface. It used the ground effect phenomenon, which reduced the drag and increased the lift when flying close to the water.
The Lun-class ekranoplan was powered by eight turbojet engines and armed with six anti-ship missiles. It could reach speeds of up to 550 km/h and carry up to 100 tonnes of cargo. Only one Lun-class ekranoplan was ever built and deployed by the Soviet Navy in the Caspian Sea. It was retired in the late 1990s and moved to a naval base in Kaspiysk, where it remained until 2020. In July 2020, it was towed to a beach near Derbent, where it is planned to be turned into a tourist attraction. The Lun-class ekranoplan is the only ground effect vehicle of its kind and size in the world, and a remarkable example of Soviet engineering and innovation.