The world's largest hovercraft can scale 5-foot walls and 5-degree slopes

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: This massive Soviet-designed hovercraft can transport three main battle tanks across open water before scaling vertical walls over five feet high. As the largest of its kind, it bridges the gap between sea and shore, moving heavy amphibious assault units and naval mines to non-equipped coastlines with remarkable speed.

The Zubr-class LCAC (NATO reporting name "Pomornik") is a Soviet-designed air-cushioned landing craft built to bridge the gap between sea and shore. As of 2026, it stands as the world's largest hovercraft, featuring a standard full load displacement of 555 tons. Its primary military role is the rapid sealift of amphibious assault units—including marines and tanks—from vessels to non-equipped shores, as well as the transport and planting of naval mines.

The vessel's engineering allows it to navigate extreme terrain that would stop traditional ships. It can negotiate gradients up to 5 degrees on non-equipped shores and climb vertical walls as high as 1.6 meters (5 feet 3 inches). It maintains seaworthiness in conditions up to Sea State 4, with a cruising speed of 30–40 knots. For high-speed operations, later models built for China can reach top speeds of 63 knots, covering 300 nautical miles at a 55-knot cruise.

The Zubr's design prioritizes heavy lifting and crew protection. It features a 400-square-meter cargo area capable of hauling three main battle tanks (up to 150 tonnes), ten armored vehicles with 230 troops, or up to 500 troops in total. To ensure survivability, the hull includes airtight sealing against weapons of mass destruction, vibration damping materials for crew comfort, and an active system to compensate for magnetic fields to evade mines. The central command post and specific device compartments are further reinforced with alloy armor.

The production history of the Zubr is complex. While Russia announced a production restart in 2017, industry representatives disputed the 2018 timeline, citing difficulties in mass-producing gas-turbine engines and reduction gears. Despite these hurdles, the class has seen international adoption: China ordered four vessels from Ukraine in 2009, and the Hellenic Navy operates four units. Notably, the purchase of HS Cephalonia in 2000 marked the first time a Soviet-designed naval craft was built for a NATO member.

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