Sea-Skimming Craft Spotted as China Expands its Naval Ambitions

A mystery craft has been spotted in China resembling a vehicle designed to avoid radar by flying just a few meters above the sea, suggesting Beijing may be experimenting with a Soviet-era model the US shelved last year.

A gray aircraft-like vehicle with a T-tail and four engines was parked at Nanshan Port on Hainan Island in satellite imagery from Google Earth dated Jan. 3, which recently attracted attention from military hardware watchers. The port is primarily used by scientific research vessels, as it’s China’s closest port to deep sea, though some analysts say the People’s Liberation Army has used it to test underwater drones.