Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!cbnews!military
From: kiravuo@hila.hut.fi (Timo Kiravuo)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Soviet Wing-in-Ground Effect Machine?
Message-ID: <1990Jul23.203631.8193@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 23 Jul 90 20:36:31 GMT
References: <1990Jul17.031822.22504@cbnews.att.com>
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker)
Organization: Helsinki University of Technology, Computing Center
Lines: 34
Approved: military@att.att.com



From: kiravuo@hila.hut.fi (Timo Kiravuo)
>->> Does anyone who reads sci.military know anything more about "Orlan",

I finally found the magazine I was looking for. It is March 1990
issue of "Rannikon Puolustaja", magazine for Finnish coastal
artillery. On pages 35-37 there is an article about the
development in landing capabilities of the big powers, by
lieutenant-colonel Timo Sario. 

Sario writes that the Soviets have already built landing ships
and hoovercrafts, and now are developing a ground effect plane.
(My terminology is pretty weak, try to understand.) According to
him, this ORLAN-project has developed rather well.

There is also a drawing about the plane. Long body, stubby wings,
high tail with a turboprop on top and it seems to me like there
would be two jets directed back- and downwards at the front, in an
angle of about 30 deg. from the horizontal. Can't be quite sure
about the latter one.

The caption says (badly translated): "Newest new in amphibious
assault equipment, WIG (ground effect) -craft ORLAN. Speed 300
knots, capacity 900 men with their equipment. Bird or fish?"

There is also a picture of the hoovercraft Pomornik. Speed over
50 knots, estimated capability 300 men or three tanks. Powered by
three big turbojets. 

--
Timo Kiravuo
Helsinki University of Technology, Computer Center, Finland
kiravuo@hut.fi  sorvi::kiravuo  kiravuo%hut.fi@uunet.uu.net