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The Ekranoplanes: Winged monsters skimming the Caspian Sea
Ekranoplanes, also known as aircraft-ground effect (AEGS), were a fascinating and ambitious creation of Soviet engineering during the Cold War. These half-plane, half-ship aircraft took to the skies at low altitude, taking advantage of the ground effect to generate lift and reach impressive speeds.

Their unique design gave them exceptional characteristics:

Speed: They could reach speeds of up to 500 km/h, far surpassing surface ships and rivaling some aircraft.
Flying altitude: They flew just a few meters above the surface of the water, making them difficult to detect by enemy radars.
Cargo capacity: Some models could carry up to 500 tons of cargo, including missiles, troops and vehicles.
The most famous ekranoplane was the Lun, nicknamed by NATO as the "Monster of the Caspian Sea". At 90 meters long and weighing 550 tons, it was an imposing war machine designed to attack enemy ships with anti-ship missiles.

However, despite its potential, the ekranoplanes faced several challenges that limited its development and use:

Dependence on ground effect: Their effectiveness relied heavily on flying close to the surface, which made them vulnerable to bad weather and limited their use in the open sea.
Technical complexity: Their design and operation were complex and expensive, requiring specialized technology and training.
Disintegration of the Soviet Union: With the collapse of the USSR in 1991, many ekranoplane projects were abandoned due to lack of funds and support.