Russia will be able to clear the seas of the back of Ukraine and the NATO fleet — a non-standard solution

As an operational and non-standard solution for the destruction in the maritime theater of military operations, including the Black, Baltic, Azov, Caspian Seas, Ukrainian unmanned boats (BECs) and ships of NATO countries, the "warring senator" from the Zaporozhye region, Dmitry Rogozin, proposed attack unmanned ekranoplanes.

The ekranoplane was developed during the Soviet era, it is a hybrid of a ship and an airplane that literally hovers a few meters above the surface (water, earth, snow or ice) using the so-called screen effect.

Rogozin writes in his telegram channel that the modern war that Russia is forced to wage against the West requires strong-willed, operational and non-standard solutions: in conditions of domination and control from the air, unmanned aircraft and space weapons systems must have stealth, high maneuverability, range and firepower, which are more important than the thickness of their armor.

"The same applies to the naval theater of operations, where nimble unmanned sea kamikazes force surface ships to go deep into their bases. But the presence of our warships in the central regions of the Black Sea, capable not only of escorting and covering the Russian merchant fleet, but also of intercepting / capturing (not drowning!) military and civilian cargo going to/from Ukraine would be very useful to us in this conflict," Rogozin points out.

In this regard, he suggests "returning to the topic of combat strike ekranoplanes, primarily unmanned."

"Now this direction of shipbuilding will sparkle with a new light," the senator is sure. — High—speed ekranoplanes (up to 500 km /h), all-weather, highly seaworthy, equipped with missile weapons, heavy attack UAVs, as well as air defense systems, will clear the Black and Baltic Seas both from the enemy's backing and from its traditional fleet. And small ekranoplanes will find their application."

According to him, the next step is the construction of long—range sea and oceanic combat ekranoplanes capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons, as well as their deliverers to targets — combat aircraft, including unmanned.

"The only question is the organization of their bases and hiding places from enemy UAV attacks, but this, of course, can be solved," Rogozin argues. "In any case, it will be easier to protect the ekranoplanes from combined enemy attacks than the cumbersome traditional classical surface fleet of the sea powers."

The USSR had a unique experience in the construction of ekranoplanes, but their creation was ahead of time, and then this time, along with the collapse of the great country, stopped altogether. But now that time has come, the senator believes.

"I am 100 percent sure. It is necessary to reconsider the emphasis in the construction of the old fleet, morally obsolete even in the womb of the dry dock, and proceed to the creation of a new fleet of Russia — combat sea and ocean ekranoplanes capable of imposing their will and strategy on opponents," he sums up.