>>45528
I bet couple of aircraft carriers are tucked away in the Siberian tundra.
>Sand and water must have different properties on radars (at least when it is about warm and humid air with different density etc)
Also clutter and noise can be different with the objects of the field.
>Is it much cheaper than making floating hull of same size?
Maybe they can make it from cheaper, different materials?

It must be a reason why Chinese did this, if it is really what the articles say, and used as they say.