Remember those weird Soviet hoverboats from the Cold War that looked like something out of a sci-fi flick? Turns out they weren’t just a failed experiment after all. Both China and the U.S. are dusting off the old blueprints and reviving these sea-skimming crafts—part boat, part aircraft—as tensions rise in the Pacific. It’s a case of old tech getting a new lease on life, but this time with higher stakes.

Editor’s Note: The world’s superpowers are digging into history’s toolbox to prepare for potential future conflicts, and that includes bringing back oddball tech like hoverboats. It’s a sign that the Pacific could become a flashpoint, and both sides are scrambling for any edge—even if it means resurrecting ideas once left for dead. For military watchers, it’s a fascinating twist; for everyone else, it’s a reminder that old Cold War ghosts might not stay buried.