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They just won't stop: War Thunder has deleted yet another military manual from its forums




You can really hear the exasperation in this terse statement from Konstantin Govorun, head of PR at War Thunder publisher Gaijin Entertainment: "Our moderators quickly nuked the post, deleted the files and banned the user. This is probably 12th time this happens."..
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Planned technical works - 19.09.2023 - "Sons of Attila"



On September 19th, from 08:00 GMT, the War Thunder game servers may be unavailable due to the release of the “Sons of Attila” major update.

See you there!

Barak II: Lightning Over The Desert



In the “Sons of Attila” major update, an Israeli modification of the F-16D two-seater fighter jet, lock and loaded to use modern high-precision weapons, will come to the top of the Israeli aircraft research tree as a flagship jet!

[h2]Barak II, jet fighter, Israel, rank VIII[/h2]

Features:
  • Excellent performance characteristics.
  • Modern avionics.
  • Expanded arsenal of guided weapons.


The two-seat F-16D Block 40, named by Israel as the Barak II, is a flagship jet that will be the most advanced aircraft in the Israeli aircraft research tree when the upcoming “Sons of Atilla” major update is released! Today, we’re going to talk about the features of this aircraft and some of its differences between similar US variants. Let’s dive into the details!

Unlike the F-16C, Israel will receive the two-seat version, which is one of the best modern jet fighters. The Barak II’s engine has a slightly higher afterburner thrust than the US single-seat version, but due to its higher take off weight, it loses some thrust-to-weight ratio. Nevertheless, the Barak II is almost identical to the F-16C in terms of top speed and climb rate, and combining this with its excellent acceleration and great maneuverability means that it will be a formidable force to play with and against in all game modes!



The Barak II’s radar is the same series of radar as the F-16C’s, as well as its RWR, which is identical to its American counterpart — both of these devices will ensure that you have the most up-to-date tracking information about threats in your matches. Oh, and not to forget, last week we published a detailed dev blog about updated RWRs, to be sure to have a look if you missed it.

Let’s move onto the Barak II’s weapon capability! Unlike the US version, the Barak II will receive the AIM-9P air-to-air missile with a rear-aspect IR seeker. In addition to this, a more advanced AIM-9L and AIM-9M and the heavier AIM-7M Sparrow also being present. You’ll also have brilliant electronics at your disposal, including a helmet-mounted target designation system. Moving onto what can be fired at ground vehicles. The Barak II receives the GBU-15(V)2/B guided bomb that has a thermal imaging seeker, and with the help of the LITENING II targeting pod, Paveway II bombs — the GBU-12 (8 in total!), the GBU-16 and GBU-10 — can also be carried!



As for unguided weaponry, these are similar to the payload on the F-16C variant — regular bombs, incendiary as well as high-drag tail fin bombs with a large total weight. All of these weapons, as well as the 20 mm cannon, are very conveniently controlled by a ballistic computer. When flying the Barak II, you’ll certainly encounter some air-to-air missiles tracking and following you, and therefore this aircraft can also carry 200 countermeasures — more than the F-16C, which only carries 120.



The Barak II will appear at the top of the Israeli aircraft research tree with the release of the upcoming “Sons of Atilla” major update. We’re currently finalizing and preparing for this update, but until then happy flying and see you soon!

A Decal and Two Fighters to celebrate the U.S. Air Force’s Birthday



The history of American aviation goes back to the beginning of the 20th century, but the U.S. Air Force became an independent branch of the Armed Forces only after World War II — on September 18th, 1947. Air Force Day was established the same year — but it was celebrated only for a couple years, because in 1949, Armed Forces Day was established that united the celebrations of all branches of the U.S. military.

[h2]Bostwick’s P-47M-1-RE and Wetmore’s P-51D-10 are temporarily available for Golden Eagles[/h2]

[h3]
When: From September 18th (10:00 GMT) until September 21st (10:00 GMT).
[/h3]




[h3]About the aircraft[/h3]
  • Bostwick’s Р-47М-1-RE feels best at high altitudes: it retains great maneuverability, climbs quickly and can carry a wide selection of suspended weaponry in addition to its eight Browning machine guns.
  • Wetmore’s P-51D-10 is a versatile fighter that specializes in boom ‘n’ zoom attacks. It carries a lot of ammunition for its six machine guns — tear your enemies apart without fear of running out!


[h2]“US Air Forces Day” decal to celebrate the U.S. Air Force’s Birthday![/h2]
To celebrate, we’ve also got a special decal to commemorate this day.

“US Air Forces Day” decal

[h3]
When: From September 18th (10:00 GMT) until September 21st (10:00 GMT).
Task: Play 3 battles using American aircraft to receive the “US Air Forces Day” decal.
[/h3]

  • You must use a minimum of rank III.
  • Your activity must not be below 70%.


Additional details:
  • You can complete the task in random battles, except for Enduring Confrontation missions, [Assault] mode and Helicopter PVE battles.
  • Track your progress in the hangar by clicking Nickname → Achievements → Holidays → US Air Force Birthday.
  • You can find the decal in the “Holidays” tab in the Customisation menu.

Screenshot Competition - Small Caliber!



Welcome to the 85th War Thunder Steam Screenshot Competition!


You shared wonderful screenshots with us last week! We loved seeing your vehicles in the day, and in the dim moonlight. The three most popular and three selected by us will get 300 GE. See the winners down below!

[h2]Let’s begin the 85th edition of our competition![/h2]

Create a stunning screenshot and submit it on the War Thunder Steam Community Hub with the tag #WTscreen85. You have time until 22.09.2023 to submit your screenshot.

After that date, 6 winners will be selected (3 of which will be the highest rated by the community and 3 selected by our judges), each of which receive a reward of 300GE.


[h3]Terms:[/h3]
    Your screenshot must include a vehicle with an armament of 13mm or less!
    You must add the #WTscreen85 tag (title cannot have any other text in it).
  • Screenshots need to be compliant with the War Thunder rules.
  • You need to be the author of the screenshot.
  • Screenshot needs to be new. You cannot use those which have previously been published or used in other competitions.
  • We will only accept raw screenshots from the game. You cannot use any editing software nor any other visual enhancements (like Nvidia Ansel filters).
  • You can use filters and settings built into War Thunder.
  • You can use the replay functionality built into War Thunder.
  • Rewards will be delivered to the author's account within 14 working days.


[h2]And now, time for the winners of the competition’s 84th edition - The Sun and the Moon![/h2]

[h3]Winners selected via community votes:[/h3]
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3034094208
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2943404542
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3034534872

[h3]Winners selected by our judges:[/h3]
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3034205638
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3033648391
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3033225060

Each winner will get 300GE! Congratulations and see you next week!