Soviets test ‘monster’ craft

Press, 21 April 1984, Page 10

Soviets test ‘monster’ craft

NZPA-AP London The Soviet Navy is testing a space age-style surfaceskimmer known as “the Caspian Monster” designed to carry an assault battalion on surprise attacks, and developing hovercraft warships to build a high-speed 50-knot fleet by the year 2000, a “Jane’s” yearbook reports. Kay McLeavy, editor of “Jane’s Surface Skimmers,” said that the United States Navy was also moving towards developing its own versions of the “Monster,” which cruises over water at heights of between 3.5 and 14 metres. The strange-looking craft, a jet-powered fuselage with stubby wings, is known in the West as a power-augmented-ram wing-in-ground-effect machine, or P.A.R.-W.I.G. The Soviets call it an Ekranoplan. The Americans see the P.A.R.-W.I.G. as “a possible alternative to the CSA

Galaxy heavy transport aircraft” that helps airlift the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force. Mr McLeavy said that the P.A.R.-W.I.G. would have a greater range and be able to carry a bigger payload than the Galaxy, the biggest military plane in service in the world. The craft, with speeds of up to 300 knots (555km/h) would radically alter the rapid deployment concept and allow commanders to land swiftly large numbers of assault troops with battle tanks and full logistics support almost anywhere in the world within days. Mr McLeavy noted, “From bases on the United States east and west coasts, these craft could reach almost any coastline in the world in three or four days.” The Soviet Navy’s “Caspian Monster,” named after the Caspian Sea where it is undergoing trials, has eight turbine engines

mounted on stub-wings plus two booster jets on the tail. At take-off, the thrust from the eight forward engines was deflected downwards to create a cushion of pressure under the wings. Once airborne, the exhausts were directed above the wings’ upper surfaces to create additional lift. Mr McLeavy estimated that the “Monster” can carry a 94-tonne payload. He said, “On this basis, early claims that it can carry 900 or more fully armed troops are probably correct.” The Soviet Navy commander, Admiral of the Fleet Sergei Gorshkov, architect of Moscow’s rapidly expanding fleet, said recently, “Compared with the surface-effect ships (large hovercraft), ram-wing vessels will have greater speed, expend less energy and hence, other things being equal, be capable of greater range of operations.”

The Soviets had been experimenting with P.A.R.W.I.G. for 25 years, and the Americans were pressing ahead with hovercraft designs, Mr McLeavy said. “A large number of future large surface-effect ships will be warships designed for speeds of 40 to 80 knots (74 to 148km/h),” he said. These will be large, fast transports, frigate-type escorts or missile ships, minehunters, patrol boats, helicopter-carrying antisubmarine vessels, and assault ships. Mr McLeavy estimated that the Soviets used up to 10,000 hovercraft, mainly in Siberia on oil and gas projects and as all-weather freighters that can operate even when the northern ports are iced in. “In the Soviet Union, there is a growing realisation that hovercraft are more versatile and viable than was first imagined. “The determined, across-the-board approach to the technology, involving experiments with vehicles of almost every category, is undoubtedly paying off,” he said.

The Soviet Navy was now using 220-ton amphibious hovercraft assault ships that can carry up to four light tanks and a company of commandos, “Jane’s” reported. Other hovercraft warships were being developed by France, the Netherlands, China, and South Korea.