War Thunder

Modern Russian, Chinese and American jets join the battle

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the “Hornet’s Sting” major content update for the military online shooter War Thunder is available to the players. Aside from the signature F/A-18 “Hornet” jet the update was named after, it also features Su-30SM, an advanced twin-engine Russian fighter, as well as J-11B, the backbone of the PLA Air Force. Dozens of other iconic military vehicles joined the fight, including 2S19 “Msta-S” howitzer, the Tracked Rapier SAM and the USS Colorado super-dreadnought featuring 16 inch guns.

Watch the “Hornet’s Sting” Trailer HERE.

Su-30SM is an advanced twin-engine fighter that can accelerate to a maximum speed of about Mach 2, all while maintaining amazing maneuverability for its size. AL-31F engines have rotating nozzles, allowing the pilot to change the direction of thrust — a feature known as thrust vectoring — along all axes during maneuvers, improving controllability at extreme angles. Su-30SM is equipped with a modern radar with a passive electronically scanned array (PESA radar), providing fast target coordinate updates in TWS mode, an RWR and a modern cockpit with multiple multi-function displays (MFD).

J-11B is a Chinese modernization of Su-27 fighters imported from Russia, featuring a new radar, RWR, digital cockpit with a new heads-up display, new MFDs and domestically produced WS-10A engines, generating over 12,500 kgf of available thrust in afterburner mode. This upgrade significantly improved the aircraft’s rate of climb to around 235 m/s, while also improving its maximum speed and acceleration in level flight. J-11B is equipped with a mix of Russian and domestic high precision missiles and guided bombs.

The 2S19 Msta-S is a self-propelled 152 mm howitzer with an automatic loader and a good selection of shells, including two HE shells with up to 11.7 kg in TNT equivalent, a HE-VT shell, a HEAT shell and an APHEBC shell. It’s huge in size and lightly armored, so using it usually requires finding a good position for sniper fire or going behind your teammates when attacking as a support vehicle. With a careful, yet aggressive playstyle, the 2S19 (M1 and M2 variants are available in the game) will show its best side thanks to immense firepower and good reload speed.

More information in the content of the update is available at the official website.

Dozens of new vehicles and visual improvements for the maps are a part of the new update

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the “Hornet’s Sting” major content update for the military online shooter War Thunder will be released in mid-March. Three iconic maps will receive massive visual updates, and dozens of new military vehicles will join the fight. Some of the most interesting additions are the F/A-18 fighter jet, Hopkins Mk.I light tank, and HMS Warspite battleship.

The F/A-18 Hornet carrier-based fighter jet that has been used in most military conflicts where the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps have been involved in, including Libya, the Gulf War and Operation Desert Storm, the Balkans and Afghanistan. In addition to the United States, other countries have operated the F/A-18 Hornet, including Canada, Finland, Australia, Kuwait and some more. It was also widely featured in popular culture, including blockbuster movies.

The Hornet’s Sting update will bring American F/A-18A and F/A-18C variants, as well as Finnish F/A-18C, all of them featuring a bit different set of available weapons and combat systems. One of those is the Walleye II ER/DL guided bomb equipped with a thermal imaging homing head.

The Mk VIII Light Tank, the Harry Hopkins, was designed in late 1941 in order to replace the Mk VII Tetrarch, with the primary goal of increasing the overall armor protection. It features 38 mm of armor on the turret and hull, with the latter having some decent sloping, enough to stop hits from some of the weaker shells, which is more than most light tanks can boast. AP shells of its fast-firing 40 mm cannon can get through a max of 89 mm of armor, and the APHE can be similarly destructive.

Advance to the Rhine, Sinai and Jungle have all undergone major visual overhauls. Artists have replaced the models with better looking and more authentic ones, updated the textures, added more vegetation and decorative elements, while preserving the overall layout and design. For example, a railway and telegraph line have been added between the main combat areas and the water channel in Sinai. The Jungle map also received gameplay improvements, offering more balanced terrain traversal options.

Watch the ‘Hornet’s Sting’ Update Trailer HERE.

More information on Hornet’s Sting update is available on the official website of the game.

The new update brings Rafale and Typhoon modern jet fighters and dozens of other iconic military vehicles

Gaijin Entertainment announces the release of the “Storm Warning” major content update for the military online shooter War Thunder. The game now features the Thai air force subtree, top-of-the-line 4.5-generation fighters Typhoon and Rafale (“gust of wind”), the modern German self-propelled gun Panzerhaubitze 2000, the French light cruiser La Galissonnière, dozens of other military vehicles, as well as a new map “Attica”, inspired by the landscapes of Greece.

The Eurofighter Typhoon is a modern 4.5-generation fighter, which was created jointly by Germany, UK and Italy, and is currently also in service with Austria, Spain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. It can carry up to 10 air-to-air missiles, including the AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM. This arsenal, supplemented by a helmet-mounted targeting system and an advanced CAPTOR radar, make the Eurofighter one of the best aircraft in the game for both close and long-range air combat.

Rafale is the most modern French-produced fighter jet in the game. The Rafale F3-R version that debuts in War Thunder was accepted into service in 2018. In addition to the French Air Force, it is also used by Greece and Croatia. The aircraft is especially effective in long-range combat thanks to its MICA-EM ARH missiles. To destroy ground targets, the Rafale has a high-precision weapons system AASM HAMMER, new to War Thunder, with an extensive arsenal of guided bombs.

The Thai sub-tree has been added to the Japanese aviation line and will expand the tactical options for players leveling this branch. For example, they will now have access to the F-5T SCU “Tigris” light jet fighter, which can be equipped with Python 3 air-to-air missiles.

The Panzerhaubitze 2000 is one of the most modern and advanced self-propelled howitzers in the world. The shells of its 155 mm L52 gun, about 8 meters long, can hit targets at distances of tens of kilometers, and the reload speed can get as low as 6 seconds with a good crew. Despite its weight of almost 58 tons, the Panzerhaubitze 2000 is capable of reaching speeds of up to 60 km/h on a good road, thanks to which it can quickly change position.

Watch the ‘Storm Warning’ Update Trailer HERE.

Detailed information about the new content in the “Storm Warning” update is available on the official website of the game.

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the “Firebirds” major content update for the military online shooter War Thunder is already available to the players. The graphics in the game have been significantly improved, and the game got dozens of new vehicles ranging from American F-117A stealth bombers to South African Super Hind helicopters and the British battlecruiser HMS Repulse.

Watch the War Thunder “Firebirds” Trailer HERE.

The most significant graphic improvements are the ones that utilise the ray tracing technology. The game now features physically correct and pixel-precise shadows from the sun, and owners of the more powerful video cards will also see realistic shadows from all dynamic lights, like explosions, muzzle flashes and the like. War Thunder also now supports ray traced ambient occlusion and ray traced reflections (including those on water and translucent glass surfaces), which makes the game visuals even closer to reality. All of these effects are available on NVIDIA video cards and can be enabled or disabled individually at the player’s discretion. Ray tracing effects are especially visible at locations with lots of mirror surfaces, such as on the Alaska and Sun City maps.

Many other graphic effects have been redesigned in the game: for example, the mud from under the wheels flies more realistically, the moment of afterburner activation on jet aircraft and the afterburner exhaust itself now look more physically correct, the effects of missile explosions in the air have been reworked, the effect of burning fuel spilling from a destroyed tank has been improved, and abandoned cars are now beautifully crumpled when they are crushed by armored vehicles. Finally, War Thunder now supports the motion blur effect, which is also optional.

Watch the Visual Update Trailer HERE.

Super Hind is a South African modernization of the Mi-24 family of helicopters. Engineers have completely redesigned the front part of the hull, where the sighting system and 20-mm autocannon with boxes for belts are located. In addition, the Super Hind was armed with INGWE tandem ATGMs. Super Hind helicopters are in service with the air forces of Algeria, Bulgaria and Azerbaijan. You can learn about other new military vehicles from the Firebirds update by checking the devblogs on the official website of the game.

You can learn more about the new content and other features of the “Firebirds” update from the devblogs on the official website of the game, or on its Steam page.

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the online military shooter War Thunder will receive the “Firebirds” major content update in early November. Its main stars are the American F-117 stealth attack aircraft, the Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber and its American competitor – the F-15E Strike Eagle. In addition, dozens of other military vehicles will debut in it, such as the British FV107 Scimitar light tank and the French battleship Dunkerque.

Watch the ‘Firebirds’ Update Trailer HERE.

The F-117A Nighthawk is the first aircraft in War Thunder to implement stealth technology. As in reality, it will have reduced IR and radar signatures, which makes interception much more difficult (but, as practice has shown, does not make it impossible). The aircraft looks futuristic, and the design is dictated precisely by reducing visibility: the geometry of the fuselage and wing is designed to reflect electromagnetic waves away from the radiation source. In addition, the F-117 uses radar-absorbing materials and ferromagnetic paint, and the engine nozzles are hidden by complex shielding mechanisms. Today, the aircraft has already been withdrawn from service, but during Operation Desert Storm, the F-117As made more than 1,200 combat sorties and did not suffer a single loss.

The F-15E Strike Eagle is a strike version of the F-15 fighter. The payload has increased by almost 50%, a ground target detection radar has been added, and the arsenal of available weapons has expanded. The F-15E Strike Eagle can use AGM-65 Maverick missiles, various types of laser and conventional guided bombs, bombs with navigation and guidance modules (JDAM), and new GBU-39 satellite-guided bombs (up to 20 at a time!). The F-15E remains one of the main strike aircraft of the US Air Force to this day.

You can learn more about the new content and other features of the “Firebirds” update from the devblogs on the official website of the game, or on its Steam page.

New update brings latest German IFV, first Swiss military aircraft and more

Gaijin Entertainment announces the release of the “Dance of Dragons” major content update for the online military action game War Thunder. It is named after the Chinese-made J-10 and JF-17 fighters, while dozens of other new interesting military vehicles have been added to the games, such as the famous Soviet Su-24M bomber, the state-of-the-art German Puma IFV with Spike missiles, and the heavily armed Japanese battlecruiser Amagi. In addition, the first domestically designed Swiss jet in the game, the P-16 attack aircraft, a model of which was created by players, debuts in the game as well.

Watch the ‘Dance of Dragons’ Trailer HERE.

The Su-24M frontline bomber with variable wing sweep was designed primarily to destroy ground targets, although it can also stand up for itself in an air battle. The aircraft is equipped with a six-barreled GSh-6-23M cannon with a rate of fire of up to 9,000 rounds per minute. There are 8 suspension points under the fuselage and wings capable of carrying a total of up to 8,000 kg of payload. It will rain fire on ground targets using Kh-23, Kh-25 and Kh-29 families of guided missiles (including the laser-guided Kh-29L and TV-guided Kh-29TE) and the KAB-500Kr and KAB-1500Kr guided bombs, the KAB-500S ( new for War Thunder), as well as the laser KAB-500L and the new large-caliber KAB-1500L, plus unguided bombs and rockets.

PUMA VJTF differs from the basic Puma by the presence of a launcher with two Spike-LR ATGMs. Missiles and an automatic target tracking system significantly increase the combat range of this IFV, allowing it to destroy even top MBTs at long distances, as well as try to shoot down low-flying aircraft and helicopters with a decent chance of success.

The update improves many aspects of the game ranging from the improved interface of suspended weapons to the customizable aiming grid. In addition, the damage model of individual helicopter modules has been improved, meaning that it now takes into account damage dealt specifically to the avionics system, weapons control, night vision devices, countermeasures and radar equipment. The separation of the tail boom during strong impacts of the fuselage and tail on the ground and other objects is now also calculated more accurately.

You can learn more about the new vehicles and other features of the “Dance of Dragons” update on the official website of the game.

New update also brings French coastal fleet tech tree

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the online military shooter War Thunder will receive the “Dance of Dragons” update in September. It will bring two iconic Chinese-made fighters – the J-10 and JF-17. Closed beta testing of the French coastal fleet will also begin. War Thunder is going to receive dozens of other naval, ground and air military vehicles as well, i.e.the Pakistani Al-Khalid-I tank developed in China.

Watch the “Dance of Dragons” update Trailer HERE.

The JF-17 is a fighter developed in China for the Pakistan Air Force. It has been in service with this country since 2007 and has repeatedly participated in military operations. The aircraft’s power plant is a Russian turbojet twin-circuit RD-93 engine, the same as on the MiG-29. JF-17 features a modern radar system as well as radar and missile approach warning systems closely integrated with the aircraft’s countermeasures.

The J-10A is a Chinese 4+ generation fighter, developed in the late 90s and utilizing all the advanced technologies of its time. It is produced and used in China today. The powerful AL-31FN turbofan engine is capable of very quickly accelerating the aircraft to speeds of around Mach 2 at high altitudes, and the large-area tail allows for excellent controllability, which is especially important at high speeds. The pilot will be able to place an impressive arsenal on 11 external weapon hardpoints, including the maneuverable PL-5E close-range air-to-air missiles, new to War Thunder.

The tech tree of the French coastal navy begins with nimble light artillery and torpedo boats, such as the VTB-8, VTB-9, and VTB-11. Fans of military history will be interested to look at the Vedette-type 40K, which changed three flags – France, Britain and Germany – and in each case was equipped with different weapons and equipment. Another intriguing boat is the Arras sub-chaser disguised as a merchant ship, or as the French often called this class, “Aviso”. This relatively slow boat with artillery armament is almost like a mini destroyer!

More information on the “Dance of Dragons” update content will be published on the official website of the game in the coming weeks.

You can read more about War Thunder on the games official website.

New update brings a new missile class, dozens of vehicles and damage model upgrades

Gaijin Entertainment announces the release of the “Seek & Destroy” update for the online military shooter War Thunder. The update brings dozens of new military vehicles, including the British battlecruiser Queen Mary, the French VLT-2 torpedo boat, the German F-4F KWS LV (ICE) fighter jet and the Kuwaiti Desert Warrior infantry fighting vehicle. The central theme of “Seek & Destroy” is FOX-3 missiles, but there are numerous other updates, i.e. new models of modern aircraft pilots, detailed helicopter cockpits, improved damage mechanics for modern armored vehicles and much more.

Watch the Seek & Destroy Update Trailer HERE.

The damage model for modern tanks and anti-aircraft systems in War Thunder has become even more accurate. Now enemy shells can damage modules such as the autoloader, fire control system, driver controls and electronic equipment, immediately affecting relevant vehicle capabilities. Luckily, the crew can fix it all on site using the tools at hand to get the modules working again. In addition, a direct hit from shells or a near explosion of a bomb can now lead to damage to the chassis of wheeled vehicles with an animation of one or more wheels being torn off.

The game now features detailed cockpits for a dozen and a half helicopters. Models of crews of German armored vehicles from the WW2 era, tank crews of Soviet equipment of the post-war period and pilots of modern combat aviation such as A-10 attack aircraft, as well as fighters of the F-14, F-16, F-15, J-11, MiG-29, Su-27 and Yak-141 have also been updated for all gaming nations.

VLT-2 is a rare French torpedo boat that saw limited use at the end of World War II. In War Thunder, it has become the first representative of the French coastal fleet, which will be added to the game in one of the next major updates. Those who purchase the VLT-2 pack will be the first to have access to the CBT for the entire tech tree. The boat is armed with two 40-mm Bofors cannons and two quick-firing 20-mm Oerlikon autocannons, plus 550-mm torpedoes in two torpedo tubes will send even the largest ships to the bottom if successfully hit.

You can learn more about the new vehicles and other update content on the official War Thunder website.

Air battles in War Thunder will reach a new level

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the online military shooter War Thunder will receive the “Seek & Destroy” major content update in June. It will bring medium-range air-to-air missiles with active radar guidance (also known as FOX-3), Belgium and the Netherlands aviation, the Canadian version of the Leopard 2 MBT and dozens of other ground, sea and air military vehicles.

FOX-3 missiles operate autonomously and do not require constant “illumination” of the target, though when launching from longer ranges, it’s most optimal to track a target in TWS (Track-While-Scan) mode to provide radio correction. The Radiation Warning Receiver (RWR), however, will warn the target of the approaching missile and give the pilot time to take evasive action. The first medium-range missiles with ARH seekers in War Thunder will be the French MICA, Chinese PL-12, American AIM-120, Russian R-77, Japanese AAM-4, Israeli Derby and South African R-Darter.

One of the carriers of the new class of missiles will be the Su-27SM, the most advanced version of the Su-27 fighter currently in the game. In addition, it will receive TV guided KAB-500Kr and a completely new, destructive one and a half ton KAB-1500Kr, the largest caliber of Russian bombs of this type in the game, as well as Kh-29TD guided missiles. All this is in addition to the already extensive arsenal of the basic Su-27.

Belgian and Dutch aviation will debut in the game as a Benelux branch in the tech tree of neighboring France, increasing the variety of options for players who choose that country. The line starts with the old Gladiator Mk I, which entered combat duty back in the late 30s, and ends with the modern F-16AM Block 15 MLU! There will also be a place here for the French Mirage 5BA, developed for the needs of the Belgian Air Force, as well as the Fokker G.1A, a Dutch-designed aircraft.

New ground-based equipment includes a Canadian modification of the Leopard 2A4 main battle tank with additional composite armor modules, an advanced thermal imager and the ability to install anti-cumulative screens and a masking net, while fans of naval battles will probably be interested in trying the Kondor II – a minesweeper of the GDR fleet, armed with three twin 25 mm autocannons and a FASTA 4M2 launcher with Strela-2M anti-aircraft missiles.

Watch the ‘Seek & Destroy’ Update Trailer HERE.

You can read more about new vehicles and other content of the “Seek & Destroy” update on the official website of the game.

New update brings the most up to date Chinese IFV and dozens of other military vehicles

Gaijin Entertainment announces the release of the “Alpha Strike” major content update for the online military action game War Thunder. It brings dozens of new military vehicles, including the European Alpha Jet attack aircraft, the “Frankenstein” M60 120S tank, the most up to date Chinese infantry fighting vehicle – the ZBD-04A, the American F-20A Tigershark fighter jet, the Hungarian aviation subtree, as well as the North Holland map and other content and improvements.

The Alpha Jet is a compact two-seat attack and trainer jet created by European designers in the 1970s for the local Air Forces. It was exported to a couple of dozen countries, is still in service with France and is actively used by the Nigerian Air Force in missions against Boko Haram. Two SNECMA Turbomeca Larzac engines accelerate the aircraft to speeds of over 1000 km/h, and a ballistic computer allows precise strikes with unguided missiles and bombs.

The M60 120S tank is a prototype that combines the Abrams tank turret and the M60 hull. This is a mixture of the past and the present: outdated homogeneous hull armor is combined here with composite materials and advanced turret electronics, as well as a powerful modern 120 mm cannon and a heavy machine gun that can cope with any opponent.

The Chinese BMP ZBD-04A uses a combat module equipped with a 100-mm cannon-launcher and a coaxial 30-mm autocannon. The latter got very effective APFSDS rounds, and the commander and gunner received modern thermal imagers that help to see the enemy at dusk and in bad weather.

Watch the “Alpha Strike” update trailer HERE.

You can read more about these and other new features in the update on the official website of the game.