Designed and tested in Russia, the unusual-looking EKIP aircraft is suited for large loads and doesn't require a long landing strip. From the EKIP Aviation Concern Web site:
The "EKIP" aircrafts can carry heavy large-scale loads (100 and more tons) at long distances (thousands of kilometers) at a speed of 500-700 km/h at the altitude of 8-13 km. These flying vehicles can move near the surface of ground or water using the air cushion at a speed up to 160 km/h and glide at a speed up to 400 km/h as a "screen-plane."
The flying vehicles "EKIP" do not require an airfield. They can land on airfields of any category, including ground and water surfaces. The length of the runway for heavy vehicles (several hundred tons) does not exceed 600 meters, take-off and landing are performed at steep descent trajectory, which decreases the level of noise affecting the vicinity.
Last year, MosNews reported that the US Naval Air Systems Command signed a deal with EKIP to produce some of the aircraft to fight fires and monitor oil pipelines.
Link (Thanks David Steinberg and Steve Marks!)
