The first images of ekranoplane what is developing China appeared on social media in that country in June 2025. In them it was interpreted that the so-called ‘Bohai sea monster’ It was jet-powered and it was suggested that its purpose might be transportation. Almost a year later, new photographss originally published on Chinese social networks show several important changes that give it a totally different look, as it can be seen pylons for weapons under their wings. These anchor points suggest that the experimental aircraft also It is designed for combat functions and not just transportation.
Ekranoplanes, also known as ground effect vehicles or WIG, for its acronym in English, are aircraft designed to fly just above the surface of the watertaking advantage of the air cushion generated under the wings to sustain itself more efficiently. This allows them stay below the radar detection linewhile being much faster than boats.
The concept dates back to the 1930s, when Finnish engineer Toivo Kaario worked on ground effect vehicles. In the 60s, the German designer Alexander Lippisch He perfected the idea. Historically, the Soviet Union was the main builder of this type of devices, with well-known models such as the ‘caspian sea monster’ and the ‘Mon’armed with missiles. Although some Soviet models were gigantic, in the rest of the world these vehicles have always been much smaller, but this is not the case of the Chinese plane.
If in the first images of 2025 of the Chinese ekranoplane it was interpreted that it had jet propulsion, in the last ones they appear four turboprop engines. Each of them drives large multi-bladed propellers, making their design more like that of a maritime patrol plane than that of Soviet jet-powered ekranoplanes.
The design also features a seaplane-type hullwith a lower step that facilitates takeoff and landing. Other notable features include a V-shaped joined tail, stabilizing floats on the wingtips, smaller side stabilizers, and a cockpit located at the front, The War Zone reports.
The most important new detail in the photographs are the pylons under the wings. The outlet points out that they seem to include shackles or release mechanismswhich reinforces the idea that they are not only designed to carry fixed equipment, but also to release loads. In theory, they could be used for external storage, sensor capsules or even search and rescue teams, but the military paint of the device and Chinese doctrine make an armed or, at least, multi-role role more likely. Among the options proposed by TWZ are torpedoes, light anti-ship missiles, depth charges or even air-launched drones.
In any case, its presence does not prove that the ekranoplane is already armed. Engineers could be testing its behavior in flight or testing different equipment.
Another possibility is that this ekranoplane is not the definitive model, but a scale demonstrator to validate the technology before developing a larger version. An expanded variant could incorporate more payload, longer range, more complete sensors and even an internal wine cellar, which would explain why China would now be testing an apparently experimental design but with increasingly clear military features.
The development of this aircraft could be linked to Beijing’s plans for Taiwan and the South China Sea. Taiwan is located about 180 kilometers of mainland China at its closest point. A fast ground effect vehicle could cover that distance in less than an hour and still be difficult to detect.
These vehicles could also avoid some of the dangers faced by conventional amphibious ships, like naval mines and submarines. Also that troops, supplies or light vehicles reach the coast quickly before the defense can react.
Analysts from the specialized publication Gray Dynamics suggest the option of the aircraft being used for supply Chinese bases in the South China Sea. Rapid transportation between distant outposts could help China expand its military presence in the region.