Sea-skimming crafts – which fly just above the water – were once considered Cold War relics of a failed Soviet experiment. Now, China and the US are resurrecting the technology as a possible Pacific conflict looms
By Jeremy Hsu
10 July 2025
Illustration concept for the US DARPA Liberty Lifter program
Aurora Flight Sciences
It’s not a boat. It’s not a plane. It’s a flying, sea-skimming craft called an ekranoplan.
These large vehicles reminiscent of Soviet technology from the Cold War are making a comeback as China and the US develop modern versions for a possible military confrontation in the Pacific.
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The giant sea skimmers resemble large aircraft but are “more akin to high-speed naval vessels in that they ‘fly’ a few metres above the ocean”, says Malcolm Davis at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Such vehicles take advantage of a phenomenon called “wing-in-ground” effect, where a cushion of air between the low-flying vehicle and the water below can both support the vehicle and reduce aerodynamic drag.
Such sea skimmers are typically faster than ships – with speeds comparable to aircraft – while also being able to avoid surface or air radar detection, says Davis. They could stealthily and speedily deliver cargo or troops across the long ocean distances common in the Indo-Pacific region, or possibly launch surprise anti-ship missile strikes on opposing navies, he says.
The technology first gained notoriety during the Cold War, when the Soviet Union experimented with its ekranoplan design, including a prototype nicknamed the “Capsian Sea Monster”. But they never fully took off because of a lack of funding and limited usefulness for Soviet military planners, says Davis. The current resurgence of interest in sea skimmers comes as China uses its expanding military power to press territorial claims over Taiwan and the South China Sea.