Any ideas about the possible uses for these things?
Chinese Wing-in-Ground Effect Vehicles - Ekranoplans in PLA service
- Thread starter Deino
- Start date
lcloo
Major
Mostly for patrol in rivers and lakes. China border patrol has been using ground effect vehicles along Heilongjiang (Amur river) for many decades.
They are more suitable for calm waters due to the heights of their flight level.
In 2002, US, Boeing came up with Pelican Ultra for travel over ocean but the project never go beyond concept. They are now developing Liberty Lifter, a GE vehicle with C-17 capacity, first flight is planned for 2028.
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Is that really needed? It's not like there's enemies in our lakes right... A boat would be less resource intensive.
I believe all this hubbub about the new GEV is massively overblown. Either it flies high enough that it's way less efficient than a conventional aircraft, or it flies low enough to be unusable in any kind of sea state. This is likely just going to be an experimental craft, and will never be adopted by anyone. If the PLA so desperately wants a fast, amphibious cargo vessel, there are a litany of amphibious aircraft available or in development.
Plus, it's not like GEV have any inherent survivability due to their design either. Ships can be escorted and/or have their own defenses, aircraft can fly, GEV will be deficient at both.
Plus, it's not like GEV have any inherent survivability due to their design either. Ships can be escorted and/or have their own defenses, aircraft can fly, GEV will be deficient at both.
The fact that enkranoplans can only be used in calm water too. It's so limited in every way. Why even fund an experimental craft. The soviets did it already.
lcloo
Major
It is Border patrol, PLAGF patrol all land borders from from north to south, east to west. GEV is nothing sophisticated, it is just a cheap flying truck that transports a squad of soldier, and it is not armed. A helicopter would be much more expensive.
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Do you have any images? All I can find when I search up "PLA ground-effect vehicle" is the most recent news.
lcloo
Major
Above post by SanWenYu is tha latest I think. For older news just go to page One post #1 of this thread for the photos of S3901 and SX591, these GEV are or were deployed by PLAGF border patrol purposes.
PLAGF (Army) also has a relatively large number of patrol boats along the river and lake borders. As per SanwenYu's post above, there are 23 types of patrol boat operated by the PLA army (Not the Navy).
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.delete msg. mistake
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