War Thunder

The ‘Drone Age’ update features dozens of new military vehicles and new visual effects

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the “Drone Age” update for the military online action game War Thunder is already available to players. It expands the range of available weaponry from various eras: reconnaissance and combat drones (Russian Orion, Chinese Wing Loong 1 and the American MQ-1) make modern battles more believable, and the legendary Su-25 and Mirage 2000 show what piloted aircraft are capable of. There are dozens of new military vehicles added to the game including a new Chinese helicopter tech tree, Israeli versions of the M48 and M60 tanks, the Turkish T129 ATAK helicopter and the South African Rooivalk Mk1F CSH helicopter, the Italian Andrea Doria dreadnought, two new maps – “Golden Bay” and “Pradesh”, new visual effects for vehicle destruction, and much more.

The history of Chinese combat helicopters can now be experienced by progressing through their lineup in War Thunder. At first, local engineers adapted imported designs, like they did with SA.342L Gazelle. The first attack helicopter built entirely in China was the Z-9WA, created after studying French Dauphins. That led to even more local projects like the light strike-reconnaissance Z-11WA or the very successful Z-19. Finally, a full-fledged heavy attack helicopter Z-10 was designed with the involvement of specialists from the Russian Kamov design bureau.

Check out the trailer HERE.

The Mirage 2000C-S5 is the new top jet fighter that will capture the hearts of virtual pilots playing for France. The iconic delta wing, excellent flight characteristics and powerful armament make it a worthy competitor to other fourth-generation fighters. The French Air Force Mirage 2000 saw action in many conflicts in the 1990s, ranging from the Gulf War to Allied operations in Afghanistan. The aircraft is also in service in Egypt, India, Greece, Qatar, Brazil, Peru and other countries.

The new “Golden Bay” map for naval battles was created based on the coast of San Francisco with a recognizable silhouette of a picturesque bridge across the strait. The ground part is inspired by the landscape of the areas east of the bay, where small towns, green hills and mountains meet. And the location “Pradesh” (in Hindi this means “region”) is designed for ground and air battles and reproduces the foothills of the Himalayas on the border of India and Pakistan. Grassy hills and forested mountains coexist here with watery meadows and shrubbed plains.

In land and sea battles, procedurally generated shell-to-armor contact effects have been added that take into account the caliber and type of the projectile – now smoke and wisps of flame escape from the holes in armor. Tank explosion simulation has been improved, and track wheels can now fly off destroyed vehicles and interact with other objects on the battlefield. In addition, high-quality models of shells and missiles are now used in the kill camera and in the protection analysis menu. The player can now better see exactly how the enemy vehicle (or your own) was hit, and can better prepare for the upcoming battles.

Detailed information about the content of the update is available on the official website of the game.

Reconnaissance and strike UAVs will revolutionize modern warfare

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the “Age of Drones” major content update for War Thunder will be released in September, bringing reconnaissance and strike UAVs to the virtual battlefield. This new feature will greatly expand tactical options for players that fight using modern armored ground vehicles. The update will also add dozens of new tanks, aircraft, helicopters and ships to the already vast roster of carefully recreated real world military hardware, as well as new maps and other content.

Drones are a crucial asset for any high-tech army nowadays and provide an opportunity to be the first to detect and destroy the enemy. On the other hand, drones are quite vulnerable and basically are consumables in modern warfare. They can be shot down with small arms or ‘locked-on’ by radar from an anti-aircraft complex and destroyed with a missile. War Thunder players will see and experience exactly how drones influence the tactics of tank battles in the 21st century.

Check out the trailer HERE.

Modern light tanks in War Thunder will get the ability to launch small reconnaissance drones. The commander will be able to send such a device into the sky right in the middle of the battle and, switching to it using a special button, control the drone to reconnoiter the location for enemy vehicles. Such a UAV has a battery capacity large enough to patrol over the battlefield until the end of the battle – or until it is shot down, or if the vehicle from which the drone is controlled is destroyed. All UAVs have a “sighting camera” that allows players to scout an area of ​​interest from a great distance, plus, some models are equipped with thermal sights.

The Age of Drones update also introduces three types of attack drones: the Russian Orion, the Chinese Wing Loong 1, and the American MQ-1 (it can be used in War Thunder while playing as any country except Russia and China). Each strike UAV carries anti-tank guided missiles that can be used to strike enemies that are sitting in an ambush position without endangering the drone operator. The legendary MQ-1 drone was in service with the US Army from 1994 to 2018 and was used in many modern conflicts – from Yugoslavia and Iraq to Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen and it also became the star of iconic Hollywood films.

More information about Age of Drones content and new features will be published on the official website of the game in the coming weeks.

Players fight to get rare new models of military vehicles

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the “Summer Quest” event has begun in War Thunder, the online military action game featuring 2000+ ground, naval and air war machines of the 20th and 21st centuries. Players will fight to get four new models of military vehicles: the Hungarian Zrinyi I self-propelled gun, the American F4D-1 Skyray carrier-based fighter jet, the German Leopard 2AV tank and the Japanese battleship Haruna. Other prizes include new camouflage options, as well as player icons, decals and decorations for naval and land vehicles dedicated to summer adventures. The event will last until August 29th.

Each vehicle model in the Summer Quest is quite unique and will be a great addition to the collections of dedicated military history fans.

The Zrinyi I SPG is a World War II era vehicle, entirely designed and built in Hungary and named after the 16th-century Hungarian national hero Miklós Zrínyi. It is built on the chassis of the Turán medium tank (also Hungarian) and is equipped with a 75 mm anti-tank gun. During some of the field tests Zrinyi I was equipped with external rocket tubes, and this is the version of this SPG that made it to War Thunder.

The Leopard 2AV is a prototype tank submitted to the US Army tests, where it competed against the XM-1 models. The tank is a transitional version from the Leopard 1 to the serial Leopard 2: the vehicle has a 105 mm L7A3 cannon familiar from the first series, while the FCS, power plant and armor layout are closer to the early Leopards of the second series.

The F4D-1 Skyray is the first ever supersonic carrier-based fighter, which entered service in 1956. The aircraft boasts excellent rate of climb and is capable of accelerating to near-sonic speeds at sea level. The F4D-1 Skyray is armed with four forward-facing 20mm Browning-Colt Mk12 cannons, and hardpoints can accommodate pods with FFAR unguided rockets and AIM-9B Sidewinder guided missiles.

IJN Haruna was laid down as a Kongo-class battlecruiser and launched as early as 1915, but did not take part in World War I. Later, she was rebuilt into a high-speed battleship and, as such, went through the entire Second World War, taking part in many battles, including Battle of the Philippine Sea, Naval Battle of Guadalcanal and Battle of Leyte Gulf. The battleship was lost only in July 1945, when American aircraft attacked it in the harbor of Kure at the Japanese mainland. Haruna’s main armament is eight 356-mm guns in four turrets, 152-mm and 127-mm cannons make it easier to deal with targets, and 118 anti-aircraft guns drive enemy aircraft away with dense fire.

The event details and more information about new types of vehicles are available on the official website.

The new update brings napalm, Israeli helicopters and more

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the Danger Zone update for the online military action game War Thunder is live now. While the US F-14 Tomcat fighter is probably the star of the show here, this content-rich update brings dozens of other new legendary vehicles and new features. Israeli and Chinese helicopters, the latest Chinese tank, an improvised Italian self-propelled gun, the most advanced German battleship of World War 1 and other types of new military hardware await War Thunder players. Napalm can now also be used in War Thunder battles, literally flooding the jungle, city streets or ship decks with liquid fire.

Watch the “Danger Zone” update trailer HERE.

Aviation containers with napalm are the new weapon type in the game. It is an incendiary mixture that burns strongly and for a long time, and also sticks to surfaces, including wet ones. Although napalm is primarily associated with the Vietnam War, it was first used as early as 1944 during the liberation of France. Napalm could be quite useful in War Thunder battles as well. I.e. players might cover the approach to a point with a rampart of fire or burn down a forest to prevent ambushes. Man-made fires are especially effective against lightly armored and open-top vehicles.

The new Chinese tank ZTZ99A is a further development of the ZTZ99 MBT, but it is difficult to recognize the fact due to the almost complete overhaul of the design. Just look at the new arrow-shaped turret, equipped with state-of-the-art anti-cumulative dynamic and composite armor, capable of withstanding even tandem cumulative rounds. At the same time, the ZTZ99A is not only better protected, but also more mobile than its predecessor, and can reach a top speed of 75 km/h on an asphalt road.

The update adds the Israeli helicopter tech tree to the game. While some of the vehicles are Israeli variants of the machines the players already know, such as Cobras and Apaches, there are completely new ones, like the Hughes MD500 TOW light attack helicopter. It is a flight, tiny and very agile helicopter capable of carrying the venerable TOW and TOW-2 anti-tank missiles, as well as Hydra-70 unguided rockets. Also the first machine from China’s future helicopter tech tree debuts in War Thunder. It’s the Z-19E, a modern and locally developed attack helicopter that performed its maiden flight in 2017.

The German battleship SMS Bayern entered service in July 1916 and missed the epic Battle of Jutland, but took part in the last major operations of WW1. Its eight 380mm guns and enhanced armor more than make up for its slowness and make it one of the most powerful ships in the War Thunder blue-water fleet.

Finally, fans of the exotic vehicles should pay attention to the 100/17 su Lancia 3Ro, a Škoda 10cm Vz.1914 howitzer mounted in the field on an army truck chassis to increase mobility. This improvised Italian SPG was brought to the game by War Thunder players Nicola “Kolin0” Faggiani and Riccardo “BlueBeta” Lo Verso under Revenue Sharing Program, and now their work is officially a part of War Thunder.

Visit the official War Thunder Website for more game information.

The F-14 fighter and the battlecruiser HMS Hood will be part of the “Danger Zone” update

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the online military action game War Thunder will receive a major Danger Zone content update in mid-June. For the first time ever, players will be able to take to the skies in the long-awaited F-14 Tomcat, legendary US fourth-generation fighter jet and star of the popular Hollywood movies. The update will introduce dozens of other types of military vehicles ranging from the battlecruiser HMS Hood to the exotic South African G6 Rhino self-propelled howitzer. New “Abandoned Town” and “South-Eastern City” maps will also be added to the game.

Watch the “Danger Zone” update teaser trailer HERE.

The F-14 is a twin-engine variable-sweep wing jet fighter that was in service with the US carrier-based aviation from 1974 to 2006. American F-14s took part in the wars in Vietnam (in the final stages), Iraq and Yugoslavia. In addition, the F-14 fighters are still in service with the Iranian Air Force – these machines were tested in action on the fronts of the Iran-Iraq war, where they scored dozens of air victories.

The first modification of the F-14 in War Thunder will be the F-14A, equipped with an excellent set of air-to-air missiles. In addition to the Sparrow AIM-7E and F, as well as the Sidewinder AIM-9D and G that are already familiar to the players, the F-14A will feature the AIM-9H (a further development of the G version) and the AIM-54A Phoenix, a long-range missile with an active radar guidance system (both missiles will appear in the game for the first time). In addition, the F-14A has a 20mm M61A1 cannon with a rotating barrel, as well as bombs and unguided rockets in case it needs to attack ground targets.

The battlecruiser Hood was commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1920, becoming the largest warship in the British Navy. Eight 15 inch guns are capable of inflicting devastating damage to any enemy, including battleships. The main caliber is supplemented by an auxiliary battery of seven twin 4 inch all-purpose guns, as well as 40mm guns, machine guns and torpedo tubes. Due to its size and powerful armament, the ship was nicknamed the “The Mighty Hood” and became a symbol of the power of the British Empire, but at the beginning of World War II, she was tragically sunk in battle with the German battleship Bismarck.

The G6 Rhino is a self-propelled howitzer on a wheeled chassis with a 155mm gun that can quickly change position and unleash huge high-explosive projectiles (regular and with remote fuzes) on the enemy. The large caliber and weight of the explosives allow even inaccurate hits to cause significant damage from the blast wave and overpressure.

The Danger Zone update will also introduce other new features, including two new vehicle tech trees, as well as new graphical and weather effects. Detailed information about this will be available on the game’s official website in the coming weeks.

Visit the official War Thunder Website for more game information.

The update brings a new nation, a shipborne aircraft feature, dozens of new vehicles and new effects

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the “Winged Lions” major content update for the military online action War Thunder is available now. It brings the previously announced Israeli aviation tech tree closed beta testing and playable shipborne reconnaissance aircraft. There is a lot of other new content, including the new “Israel” air battles location, the first two Israeli tanks from the future Israeli ground vehicles tech tree as well as dozens of other new military vehicles.

The history of the Israeli Air Force starts with the S-199 fighters imported from Czechoslovakia. These were assembled from the leftover parts originally intended for the German Bf 109 G-10 fighters, but the engine used was Jumo 211 designed for bombers. On May 28th, 1948, the first ever Israeli fighter group of four S-199s was formed under the leadership of several experienced veteran pilots. S-199 is one of the first planes in War Thunder’s Israeli tech tree, and the players will be able to get all the way to the top where the Kfir C-7 fighter jet resides. The Israeli aviation beta testing is available to the early access packs owners for now, but it will be available to all players later.

The next major update that will come after the “Winged Lions” will feature the closed beta testing of the Israeli ground vehicles tech tree. Two premium packs with Merkava Mk.2 and Sherman M-51 tanks are already available for purchase, and their owners will become the first players to access the upcoming testing.

Ground vehicle fans will probably be in awe with the fearsome Swedish SPG Bandkanon 1 that entered service in early 1960s. The 155mm autoloader-assisted howitzer is the centrepiece of attention here and not only due to its relative size to the vehicle itself. Thanks to the autoloading mechanism, this machine can fire its entire 14 round magazine in just 45 seconds. Even one hit of a huge HE round to the slightly armored parts of a tank, such as the roof of the hull or turret, will probably one shot any opponent. Another long-awaited new vehicle is the Soviet SPG 2S3 Akatsiya. The 2S3 received a baptism of fire in Afghanistan and was subsequently mass-produced until 1993, having gone through several upgrades. 2S3M is the result of modernization in 1975, with the mechanized ammunition rack and a good fire rate.

War Thunder continues to receive visual upgrades, and the “Winged Lions” update brings enhancement to the simulation of wind. Previously the wind was only seen on the grass and on the waves, but now all particle effects, such as fire and smoke, dust from ground vehicles and aircraft engines, gun shots, explosions and sparks – all these effects, will now be affected by the wind, especially during a storm.

More information on the update is available at the official War Thunder website.

Players are getting the Israeli aviation tech tree and cruisers equipped with reconnaissance aircraft

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the next major Content Update “Winged Lions” for the military online action War Thunder will be released later this December. It will bring the Israeli aviation closed beta test, launchable shipborne reconnaissance aircraft, dozens of new air, ground and naval vehicles and more.

Since the Israeli Air Force was formed after the end of World War II, the Israeli aircraft lineup begins immediately from rank IV. While researching new machines, players will follow the way that the Israeli engineers have chosen. Domestically assembled Spitfires were one the first planes in the force later joined by French Mirage III fighters that became the base for developing original Israeli Kfir (literally, “lion cub”) machines, while the US gives access to F-4 fighter jets and A-4 attackers. Aviation of Israel mainly consists of imported aircraft, but with a distinctive local feel, as they are highly modified, adapted to local conditions and equipped with new weapons. Their arsenal includes unique rockets with a shape-charge warhead, new to the game calibers of aircraft bombs, air-to-air missiles and even guided bombs!

All owners of early access packs will be able to take part in the closed testing of the Israeli aviation immediately after the “Winged Lions” update is live. After the end of closed testing, to start researching the Israeli Air Force aviation, the player will need at least one purchased aircraft of rank IV in any of the following playable nations: USA, Great Britain, France or Israel.

The update brings ship-launched reconnaissance aircraft, a feature that many large WW2 era warships were capable of. The reconnaissance aircraft will allow the players to better examine the enemy grouping, scout a ship hidden behind rocks, fight enemy aircraft, destroy an enemy boat with cannons and machine guns, or damage an enemy cruiser or destroyer with bombs. Just like regular seaplanes, reconnaissance hydroplanes will be able to capture points – a small plane can decide the outcome of a battle for large ships. Powerful and fast German battlecruiser Scharnhorst that is equipped with such aircraft will be added to War Thunder in the “Winged Lions” update.

Ground vehicle fans will get several modern tanks like Challenger 2 TES (2008) and Leclerc SXXI (2003). The most interesting one is probably Type 10, the latest Japanese MBT that entered the JSDF service in 2012. One of the main new features of Type 10 is the automatic loader located in the rear of the tank, which increases the rate of fire. The new diesel engine doubles the reverse speed in comparison with the predecessor. The Type 10 also receives a new APFSDS round, that has the same name as the tank itself – Type 10. It complements the range of shells, already familiar with the JM12A1 HEATFS and the JM33 APFSDS rounds.

Watch the “Winged Lions” Update Teaser HERE.

Follow the news at the official website to get more information on the “Winged Lions”.

The first Israeli aircraft and dozens of other vehicles have also been introduced in the ‘Ground Breaking’ major update

Gaijin Entertainment announces the release of the ‘Ground Breaking’ major Content Update for the military online action game War Thunder. Terramorphing technology makes the ground battles even more realistic and offers players more tactical options. Aviation fans get the chance to try the first two aircraft from Israel, the next playable nation to be added to War Thunder. The update also brings dozens of other military vehicles and three new maps.

The terramorphing feature allows players to change the ground’s surface in real time and create cover or obstacles. Ground vehicles with self-entrenching equipment installed (i.e. the Soviet BMP-3 or the British Chieftain with dozer blade) are now capable of quickly building tank scrapes everywhere not surrounded by buildings, rocks, boulders, ice or paved roads. Air bombs weighing approximately 50kg or above, heavy rocket and missile explosions now form a crater of which diameter and depth depends on the power of the blast.

Israel, one of the leading producers and operators of military vehicles, will become the next playable nation in War Thunder. The Closed Beta Test of Israeli Air Force will start in the next major content update, but two packs with premium aircraft are available now for purchase in War Thunder. Their owners will be the first to get access to CBT. One of the packs contains a Spitfire LF Mk IXe in the livery of the personal aircraft of Ezer Weizman, a RAF veteran pilot, who later became the president of Israel! An alternative pack is available with the A-4E Skyhawk, a late Israeli modification of one of the best strike aircrafts in the game.

There are even more new toys to play with, including the light Ystervark, South African mobile anti-air unit, Cold War era destroyer USS ​​Mitscher and three versions of fast and deadly German Wiesel armored vehicles. The Wiesel 1A4 is a basic variant with a 20mm Rheinmetall 202/20 cannon. The Wiesel 1A2 is equipped with a launcher for the TOW-2 ATGM, tandem warhead TOW-2A and TOW-2B, able to hit tanks from above. Finally, Ozelot is a version with Stinger SAM on board.

The Aral Sea map puts ground and air vehicles fighting at the shores of a dried out sea, where a port has been abandoned a long time ago with cargo terminals, fish processing plants, bulk carriers and fishing vessels. Bourbon Island is a location for air battles inspired by Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean. A characteristic feature of this large and flat shaped area is the gigantic craters of volcanic origin with a wide flat bottom – calderas. Finally, the Vyborg Bay location for War Thunder coastal vessels has been created using the magnificent northern nature of the Vyborg Bay near Medyanskaya Bay. Players fight inside a dense cluster of rocky islands covered with forest – so called skerries.

The full list of changes in the update is available HERE.

Visit the official War Thunder Website for more game information.

The new update brings dozens of new vehicles, two maps and better visuals

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the “Direct Hit” major content update for the military online action War Thunder is available now. It makes the game better in all aspects. New content such as the Soviet attack jet MiG-27M with guided bombs, Swedish interceptor JA37C Jaktviggen, US heavy cruiser USS Pittsburgh and Italian IFV C13 T90 will provide new experience, new visual effects and upgraded 3D models of existing vehicles will make the game look better, while user interface updates will make it more user friendly. War Thunder also received the support of the version 2.2 of NVIDIA DLSS technology that brings high quality and high resolution graphics without sacrificing FPS performance.

JA37C Jaktviggen is a fighter-interceptor from a Viggen family of jets that were supplied for service in the 1980s and became a “calling card” of the Royal Swedish Air Force for a long time. The fighter’s unusual airframe design, efficient flaps and air brakes allow it to make quick turns with very good roll speed. The JA37 version of Viggen was developed to fulfill the tasks of a fighter-interceptor, so the main emphasis in the weapons list is placed on the air-to-air missiles, including the completely new RB71 with radar guidance, a huge launch range and G-tolerance of about 30G.

The ‘Direct Hit” update also brings realistic and better looking effects of water interacting with physical objects like bullets and shells. Ammunition storage explosions and ship fires are also updated. Aviation fans should check the new look of the iconic B-17 bomber planes. The number of polygons on the updated models tripled, and the textures became 4 times larger.

The range of maps for the combined battles of ground and air vehicles was also expanded. “Spaceport” is based on the map from the “Warfare 2077” April Fools event and offers more open fighting grounds surrounding the confined city center. “Breslau” is focused on urban combat and the design was inspired by the Siege of Breslau (Wrocław) which took place in the final months of WWII. The naval battles also got an important improvement: fire control system adds aiming reticule, UI hits for each gun’s status and a convenient lead marker.

Finally, the update also officially adds content created by War Thunder players as part of the revenue share program. Timur “_PtaXa_” Taniya developed the detailed cockpit model for the German He 111 H-16 bomber, while Daniil “Joy_Division__” Zaytsev created the German flying boat BV 138. Detailed explanation of revenue share rules is available here.

The full list of changes in the update is available HERE.

Visit the official War Thunder Website for more game information.

Players will get an airborne combat vehicle, guided bombs and naval fire-control systems.

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the new major content update “Direct Hit” for the military online action War Thunder will be released in the first half of September. Players will get dozens of new naval, ground and air military vehicles, including Soviet fighter-bomber MiG-27M, Japanese light cruiser Yubari, Swedish infantry fighting vehicle Pansarbandvagn 301, Chinese-built Pakistani attack jet Nanchang A-5C, modern Chinese MBT ZTZ99-III and Russian airborne self-propelled tank destroyer 2S25 “Sprut-SD”. The update will also bring naval fire-control systems and guided bombs, as well as improved flow separation effects and infrared countermeasures visualization.

2S25 “Sprut-SD” is a compact amphibious vehicle built for the airborne forces. This tank destroyer is armed with a 125mm 2A75 smoothbore cannon, specially created for the 2S25 project and can use the full range of armament of the T-72B tank, including 9M119 guided missiles. The Sprut-SD has a reversible gearbox allowing it to move in reverse as fast as move forward – a very, very useful feature when shooting from behind cover. It can also float using two water jets for propulsion.

Yubari is a landmark ship for the Japanese navy, it was she who laid down distinctive technical features for Japanese cruisers: armor as part of the hull powertrain, twin funnels and an S-shaped stem. Despite the very low displacement, comparable to some destroyers, Yubari has all the attributes of a light cruiser, like a 38 mm armor belt and an armored deck, good speed and a crew of 368 sailors.

Large ships will now be equipped with a fire control system. Rangefinders, fire-control towers and fire-control plotting rooms will help players calculate the precise lead, and all those elements of the FCS will be visible in the X-ray vision mode in the hangar. This also means that the targeting interface is changing in both the arcade and realistic naval modes.

MiG-27M is the first vehicle in the game capable of using modern guided bombs, a new type of guided weaponry in War Thunder. MiG-27M could be also armed with rockets, free-fall bombs and a wide range of guided missiles, including the new Kh-29T with a TV-correlation seeker. A 30-mm six-barreled rotary cannon in a special niche under the fuselage has a rate of fire of about 5.000 rounds per minute and can slice ground vehicles into pieces, while a new engine is adapted for more confident operation at low altitudes and subsonic speeds.

More information on other new vehicles and features in the “Direct Hit” update will be available at the official War Thunder website in the upcoming weeks.

Watch the “Direct Hit” update trailer HERE.

Visit the official War Thunder Website for more game information.