China To Buy A-050 Ekranoplan Ground Effect Vehicle From Russia

China is talks with Russia to acquire an unknown number of A-050 ekranoplan or ground effect vehicle for the People's Liberation Army.

According to the state-run China News Service on Oct. 15, China is discussing with Alekseyev Central Hydrofoil Design Bureau based in Nizhny Novgorod in Russia regarding the advanced version of the Lun-class ekranoplan purchase.

“The A-050 has a maximum takeoff weight of 54 tons and a loading capacity of nine tons. It can carry up to 100 passengers. With an effective range of 5,000 kilometers, the cruising speed of the A-050 ekranoplan is estimated at between 350 and 450 kilometers an hour. The ekranoplan may be fitted with a R-195 starting engines similar to those used by Su-25 bombers and TV7-117SM boosters on the Il-114,” WantChinaTimes news daily quoted a spokesperson for Alekseyev as saying Saturday.

Georgy Antsev, chair of the bureau, said in an earlier interview that the company is ready to design a prototype for the A-050.

"The A-050 has very good aerodynamics and has been successfully tested in a wind tunnel and on hydraulic canals," Antsev said. Developed as a combination of aircraft and ship, the ekranoplan is capable to move freely along a variety of routes.