War Thunder News

The JAS39 Gripen is the latest multirole jet fighter developed by Saab and fielded by the Swedish air force. Striking not only in appearance but also in its capability, the Gripen will soon represent the pinnacle of Swedish military aviation technology, and today we’ll be talking about it!

[h2]JAS39 Gripen: A Jet Fighter for Sweden and Britain at Rank VIII[/h2]

Features:

• Superior maneuverability.
  
• Mach 2 top speed.
  
• Versatile weapon loadouts.
  
• Countermeasures.
  

[h2]Meet the JAS39 Gripen![/h2]

Welcome to the JAS39 Gripen, the latest multirole jet fighter operated by the Swedish Air Force and is set to become the most advanced aircraft to arrive at the top ranks of both the Swedish and the British aircraft tree (in the form of the South African variant) in the next major update, “Air Superiority”. Possessing not only excellent flight characteristics but also a very versatile arsenal, the JAS39 is sure to quickly become a firm favorite if you value flexibility as a key characteristic in your aircraft. Let’s take a look!



Representing a further development of the design philosophy of the preceding Viggen, the JAS39 incorporates some incredible innovations which make it clearly stand out from its predecessor while at the same time reducing its overall size and weight. For instance, although the Gripen also prominently features the use of canards, unlike on the Viggen, the ones found on the JAS39 are fully powered and thus substantially improve the aircraft’s handling characteristics, especially at extremely high and low speeds. Speaking of speed, the Gripen can attain a top speed of 1,900 km/h at high altitudes thanks to its light airframe and powerful RM12 turbofan engine. As a result, you’ll be able to quickly get into the heat of battle and won’t need to fear being outrun by your opponents if they decide to break off from the engagement.

[h3]Interesting: In the absence of a thrust reverser and to decrease the stopping distance during landing, Swedish engineers made clever use of the Gripen’s canards by allowing them to be rotated nearly 90° to act as additional air brakes after touchdown.[/h3]

Talking about engagements however, what does the Gripen bring to the fight? The answer to that question depends on the fight that you’ll be preparing your Gripen for! As a baseline, the JAS39 comes fitted with an integrated 27 mm Akan m/85 autocannon which can effectively be used against both aerial and ground targets, provided the correct ammunition is being used for each target type.



For intercepting aircraft, the Swedish version of the Gripen can be equipped with RB 74 and RB 74(M) air-to-air missiles for close combat, and the RB 71(DF) for longer ranges. The South African JAS39C in the British line carries AIM-9L and AIM-9M missiles for the closer ranges, as well as the Skyflash for long range. Additional countermeasure pods can be mounted under the wings, and also on the same pylon as your short range AAMs! If the situation calls for some ground strike action, the Litening II targeting pod allows the Gripen to use GBU-12, GBU-16, GBU-10, and GBU-24 laser guided bombs. JAS39C pilots can also equip AGM-65B Maverick missiles, while the JAS39A uses the AGM-65A (Designated as the RB 75). The Swedish version can also be equipped with unguided rockets, but bombs will be available for both versions: Mk.82 and Mk.83 for the JAS39C, and Mk.82 and domestic m/71 120 kg bombs for the Swedish JAS39A.

In your matches by Scott, Community Manager: “Whilst you don’t have the most advanced longer range missiles when compared to some of your competition, getting up close and personal is where the Gripen will excel with its AIM-9Ms. That's not to say the Skyflash won't be useful in certain longer range situations though. You have a lot of countermeasures to use to your advantage as well as a solid amount of 27 mm cannon ammo. Avoid the initial head on contacts near the start of the match as much as possible. Once you are in the heat of closer quarters combat, very few aircraft will offer you a hard time in dogfights. Your low speed maneuverability is almost second to none.”

The Gripen will soon be making its way to War Thunder in the “Air Superiority” major update. Besides the early Swedish JAS39A production variant, an export modification of this aircraft operated by the South African air force, designated JAS39C, will also be added to the British aircraft tree. In the meantime, make sure to stay tuned to the news for the latest information regarding the upcoming update!

Today we’ll be taking a look at the Mirage 4000, an experimental variant of the renowned Mirage jet fighter developed in parallel to the Mirage 2000. Featuring a twin-engine configuration and vastly improved aerodynamics, the Mirage 4000 will soon be arriving at Rank VIII of the French aircraft tree in the “Air Superiority” major update!

[h2]Mirage 4000: A Jet Fighter for France at Rank VIII[/h2]

Features:

• Superb aerodynamics!
  
• Twin-engine propulsion.
  
• Versatile arsenal.
  
• Top speed of Mach 2.2.
  

[h2]Meet the Mirage 4000![/h2]

As the name already suggests, the Mirage 4000 builds upon the legacy of the Mirage family of aircraft and propels nearly all aspects of it to the next level. A sleek design, more power and increased payloads all make the Mirage 4000 stand out from the competition, but there’s a lot more to it than that! Let’s find out some more as we go into the details below.



The Mirage 4000 is the first aircraft of the Mirage family in War Thunder to break away from the traditional single-engine design and instead prominently feature a twin-engine layout. As such, the Mirage 4000 is powered by a pair of the familiar SNECMA M53-P2 turbofan jet engines. As a result, this jet can accelerate up to a maximum top speed of Mach 2.2! However, it’s not just the top speed that makes the Mirage 4000 stand out from the crowd. More importantly perhaps is the aircraft’s superb agility. Featuring the signature Mirage delta wing design, coupled with controllable canards in front of the engine air intakes gives this aircraft fantastic maneuverability at both low and high speeds. Thanks to this as well as other improvements, this jet can comfortably engage virtually any opponent it meets in the skies.

[h3]Interesting: Although the Mirage 4000 never made it into production due to adverse circumstances, its advanced design and superior performance paved the way for the development of the legendary Rafale fighter.[/h3]

While good aerodynamics certainly represent a good start, it’s by far not what rounds out a fully fledged fighter design. This task would fall onto the armament and the Mirage 4000 has quite something to show for in this aspect as well. Apart from its standard armament of two ventral mounted 30 mm DEFA cannons, the Mirage 4000 can equip up to 8 x R550 in one loadout, or 3 x 530F air-to-air missiles. These loadouts favor aerial engagements, but what if the mission also calls for ground strike capabilities?




In this case, the Mirage 4000 can boast a high degree of flexibility with its arsenal. Namely, you’ll have access to a wide assortment of guided and as well as conventional munitions. Some highlights include the familiar AS-30L Nord AGM, up to 6 x 2000 and 1000 lb bombs, as well as 2 x BGL 1000 guided bombs to name a few. As a result, the Mirage can engage a vast number of enemy ground targets, thus making it an ideal pick to put into your ground lineups!

In your matches by Alex, Aircraft Game Designer: “On this new aircraft I would advise to play with speed and work with its medium range missiles by trying to stay near to the enemy, two engines and dynamics of this aircraft will allow you to do this. A large number of short-range missiles gives you the opportunity to make even small mistakes in missile launches, unlike other French top planes, where every missile counts. Its wings will also allow you to quickly turn to the enemy, but I don’t recommend engaging in protracted maneuvers, as you’ll quickly lose valuable speed. In ground battles, the choice of weapons is very large, from missiles to guided bombs, my choice here is the AS-30L or a full set of assault bombs.”

The Mirage 4000 will soon be coming to the French aircraft tree in the next major update, “Air Superiority”! That’s this blog wrapped.In the meantime, be sure to follow the news for the latest information regarding the upcoming update. Until then, see you soon!

The Leopard 2A7V is one of the latest modifications of the Bundeswehr’s well-known Leopard series of tanks, featuring upgraded protection as well as other small improvements. Today we’ll be showing you the Leopard 2A7V in all its glory, which’ll be coming to War Thunder in the next major update!

[h2]Leopard 2A7V: An MBT for Germany at Rank VIII[/h2]

Features:

• Enhanced protection.
  
• Deadly firepower.
  
• Decent mobility, but inferior to its predecessors.
  
• GEN 3 thermals.
  

[h2]Meet the Leopard 2A7V![/h2]

The Leopard 2A7V will soon be arriving at the top rank of the German ground forces tree as the latest and most capable modification of one of the most well known Western main battle tanks. Offering you a number of very handy upgrades, the Leopard 2A7V’s capabilities have been improved even further to excel. Let’s take a look!

At a first glance, you may have come to the conclusion that the Leopard 2A7V doesn’t seem to differ much from its predecessor — on surface level, this is also true as this tank doesn't have any radical design changes. For instance, it features the lethal L/55 A1 gun, possesses advanced composite armor and is powered by an MTU 1500 HP engine. As a result, the Leopard 2A7V will still offer you much of the highly regarded mix of great protection, good mobility, and lethal firepower which pretty much defines Leopard tanks.



So what’s different then? Primarily, the Leopard 2A7V comes fitted with a new modular add-on armor package which reinforces its frontal section of the hull. As a result, this particularly vulnerable part is now better protected against kinetic ammunition as well as chemical rounds. In addition to this is mine protection on the underside, however these combined upgrades do come at the cost of added weight. Unlike its direct predecessor, the Leopard 2A7V’s weight rises to an impressive 66.5 tons.

[h3]

Interesting: The Leopard 2A7V will be amongst some of the heaviest top-tier MBTs when it comes to the game.

[/h3]



With a drastic weight increase of 11% over the Leopard 2A6 as well as maintaining the same engine, this does mean a decrease in mobility. As a result, the Leopard 2A7V’s top speed reduces from the traditional 68 km/h of the Leopard 2 series to 61 km/h, which overall means getting around in this tank will be slightly worse compared to its predecessors, the Leopard 2A5 and 2A6. Remember to keep this in mind while in battle!

In your matches by Tom, Community Management Team Leader: “The 2A7 doesn’t have any hard drawbacks realistically, it hits all the key points an MBT needs to hit, and this effectively lets you do everything you need to do in order to perform well. As such there isn’t really a universal ‘correct’ way to play it, the best way to play is the way that you feel aligns best with your personal skillset. Focus on your own strengths, and the vehicle will let you maximize them as much as possible.”

The Leopard 2A7V will soon join the German ground forces tree as one of its first brand new rank VIII vehicles and will become available with the release of the next major update. In the meantime, be sure to stay tuned to the news as we continue revealing what other exciting new features and additions await you. Until then, see you soon!

In today’s blog, we’re excited to be talking about the Strv 122B+, which is a prototype of Sweden’s main battle tank that features further advanced armor while retaining all of the advantages of its predecessor. Meet this new tough nut to crack being added to the game in the upcoming “Air Superiority” major update!

[h2]Strv 122B+: An MBT for Sweden at Rank VIII[/h2]

Features:

• Improved armor protection.
  
• Good mobility.
  
• Fantastic APFSDS rounds.
  

[h2]Meet the Strv 122B+![/h2]

Sweden’s ground forces tree will receive this brilliant top-tier tank, which will arrive at Rank VIII with the release of the upcoming major update, “Air Superiority”. The already outstanding armor protection of Strv 122 MBTs is now reaching an entirely new level in the form of additional armor for the Strv 122B+. Let’s take a look!

The visual appearance of the Strv 122B+ remains virtually unchanged compared to its direct predecessor, the Strv 122B. The reason is because instead, its internal combination of armor packages has undergone some major changes. In general, this new armor builds upon the already great armor of the Strv 122 series of tanks that are generally characterized by very good protection, which allows them to withstand most shaped charges and APFSDS rounds at top tier.



Onto the gun and range of available ammunition which remain the same. The licensed version of the Rheinmetall L/44 gun means you’ll be able to fire three types of formidable APFSDS ammunition: the DM23, DM33 and the top slpprj m/95 round! Coupled with a good reload time and excellent turret rotation speed, the Strv 122B+’s capabilities in any situation in battle are simply second to none. In addition to a fantastic weapon is a laser rangefinder and thermal imaging for the gunner and commander which come in very handy at longer engagements.

However, even a strong tank still has some shortcomings, which are inherited from the Strv 122B. This is the vulnerable spot around the turret ring, where penetration of this area generally leads to a detonation of the ammunition, as well as the inability to accurately aim the gun when it’s perched over the engine compartment. In terms of mobility, the Strv 122B+ is slightly inferior to other top tier tanks, however this isn’t much of a problem. This tank can easily maneuver around, copes well with off-road terrain and has great reverse speed, which means the overall mobility dynamics of the Strv 122B+ is considered good!

In your matches by Dmitry, Game Designer: “The Swedish research tree is my favorite in the game because of its wide variety and really interesting and unique vehicles. As with previous Strv 122’s, you’ll be able to count on the 122B+’s strong turret and UFP, and with the addition of more armor it’ll be even stronger. I recommend taking fights as much as you can where you’ll be able to take hits, but also make sure to use the slpprj m/95 APFSDS round that is great for dealing with T-80 tanks especially.”

You’ll be able to enjoy the Strv 122B+ as well as dozens of other new vehicles and other improvements in the upcoming “Air Superiority” major update, which we’re currently working on right now. Until then, keep an eye on our news and see you soon!

The VT-4A1 is the later modification of Chinese main battle tanks developed specifically for foreign operators while incorporating many cutting edge technologies from other domestic vehicles of the time. Today we’ll be talking about this tank which is arriving to War Thunder in the “Air Superiority” major update!

[h2]VT-4A1: An MBT for China at Rank VIII[/h2]

Features:

• Powerful main gun!
  
• Low silhouette.
  
• Active Protection System.
  
• Excellent mobility.
  

[h2]Meet the VT-4A1![/h2]

The VT-4A1 will arrive at the top of China’s ground tree at the all-new Rank VIII for ground forces in War Thunder! Featuring compact dimensions, superb firepower and enhanced protection, the VT-4A1 incorporates many of the design features already familiar to other Chinese tanks. Let’s take a look at the details!

Representing the successor to the MBT-2000 which you may already be familiar with, the VT-4A1 has substantial upgrades over its predecessor. While inheriting the same level of firepower as found on other Chinese MBTs at its rank, the VT-4A1 really sets itself apart from its close relatives when it comes to protection. Featuring a blend of composite armor in its hull and turret as well as additional FY-4 ERA blocks bolted on the front and side sections, this tank is ideally protected against the most common threats found at top tier battles, especially concerning chemical munitions.



Furthermore, the VT-4A1 comes fitted with a hardkill Active Protection System (APS), which is a feature that hasn’t yet been featured on Chinese ground vehicles! As a result, when playing this tank, you’ll enjoy additional protection from this advanced defensive system, which is capable of automatically neutralizing incoming enemy rounds. ATGMs are going to have a hard time attacking this tank!

Although the VT-4A1 can boast about much improved protection, this upgrade does come at the expense of additional weight. Namely, this tank’s combat weight has increased to 52 tons compared to the 48 tons of the MBT-2000. In order to offset the additional weight, this tank is equipped with a more powerful 1300 HP engine.



However, this upgrade only manages to partially offset the substantially increased weight of the VT-4A1 as its top speed dips to slightly to 70 km/h — whilst being lower than the WZ1001(E) LCT for example, this tank’s mobility can by no means be considered poor. In fact, with a good power-to-weight ratio, the VT-4A1 can zip around the battlefield and conquer even the most challenging terrain types with relative ease.

In your matches by Tom, Community Management Team Leader: “Like pretty much every top MBT, a vehicle like this can play anywhere effectively. But to get the most out of your survivability consider playing at range hull down. The lower plate is very weak, and as the turret is free of ammo this is the area you’ll want to operate it. The APS does have the chance to also stop slower kinetic rounds as well as ATGMs, so the further away from your enemy you are, the higher the possibility of your APS working against their dart.”

The VT-4A1 will be available in the Chinese ground forces tree as its first brand-new Rank VIII tank, coming to the next major update “Air Superiority”! That’s it for this blog, until the next one, keep an eye on the news and enjoy your matches!