In the midst of the Cold War, during the 1960s, American spy satellites made a startling discovery at a Soviet naval base on the Caspian Sea. An unusual craft with stubby wings was spotted, sparking speculation about whether it was a boat or a plane. It was later revealed that this mysterious vessel was none other than the “Caspian Sea Monster” – a heavily armed naval craft designed to target submarines and aircraft carriers, measuring about 100 meters long.
Known as Ekranoplans, these unique crafts utilized an extraordinary phenomenon called wing-in-ground (WIG) effect to fly just above the water’s surface, evading radar detection. This WIG effect takes advantage of the area of higher pressure created between the wing’s lower surface and the ground, reducing drag and increasing lift. This same effect is responsible for the “floating” sensation that pilots experience when landing aircraft.
Although military WIG crafts have made sporadic appearances over the years, they have remained relatively rare. However, with the introduction of smaller versions called AirFish, this may be set to change. These AirFish crafts are being launched as high-speed ferries, opening up new possibilities for commercial applications of WIG technology.
