War Thunder News

Today we’ll be taking a look at the XM246, an experimental SPAA with a pair of 35 mm Oerlikon KDA cannons on the hull of the M48 Patton tank, coming in the Hornet’s Sting major update.

[h2]XM246: An SPAA for the USA at Rank VI[/h2]
At a glance:

• Fast-firing 35 mm Oerlikon KDA cannons!
  
• Search and tracking radar.
  
• Large turret, but with a good rotation speed.
  

Vehicle History
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The U.S. Army looked to replace their M163 and MIM-72 anti-aircraft systems through the Advanced Radar-directed Gun Air Defense System (ARGADS) competition. This competition aimed to develop an anti-aircraft system equipped with a radar, mounted on a tank chassis to be able to accompany ground formations. Later, the competition was relaunched under the new name of Division Air Defense (DIVAD), where the M48 tank, that remained in large quantities in army warehouses, was used as the chassis.

Two companies built experimental prototypes: Ford Aerospace with their XM247 and 40 mm Bofors guns (the future M247 Sergeant York), as well as General Dynamics with their XM246 prototype, armed with 35 mm Oerlikon cannons. Despite a convincing advantage in the number of targets hit during test firing, the XM246 did not win the competition and was withdrawn from further testing.
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[h2]Introducing the XM246![/h2]

Meet the XM246, a new anti-aircraft vehicle for the USA that features familiar guns and chassis, positioned at rank VI between the M163 and M247, capable of providing more anti-air firepower for several lineups. Descending into the particulars!



The very concept of the XM246 may seem familiar to many of you — a medium tank chassis with 35 mm Oerlikon cannons, so it must be the Gepard, right? Well they’re both similar in many ways, but there’s still some differences. Firstly, the guns are positioned closer together in the center of the turret rather than spread apart. Next is the large looking tracking radar that’s located at the front left of the turret and the search radar on top of the turret, both enclosed in a dome. Lastly is the ammunition, where the XM246 lacks the APDS belt, however it won’t stop this vehicle from being able to penetrate lightly armored tanks at close range with the other belts!

As for mobility, the XM246 uses the M48 Patton chassis as did its competitor in the ARGADS competition, the M247. This chassis is capable of reaching a max speed of 48 km/h, allowing it to move around on roads fairly quickly and off-road at a decent pace.



Rounding off, the XM246 sits in a good middle ground between the high rate of fire but short range of the M163 and the slower rate of fire but long range of the M247. The radar on the XM246 will tell you the lead point for firing at targets at long range, and the fire rate of 550 RPM per barrel will compensate for any inaccuracy thanks to the high rate of fire down range. As with all other SPAAs, the XM246 will also be quite effective as a support vehicle by taking out enemy tracks, gun barrels and lightly armored targets. Don’t count on your armor protection though, as the armor is pretty thin all-over and will be penetrated by most enemy tanks.



That’s it for this one. The XM246 is coming in the Hornet’s Sting major update and will provide good firepower for taking out enemy aircraft in several lineups. Keep an eye on the news for more dev blogs coming your way!

Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.

Each month we share information about accounts that have been banned for cheating or for violating the TOS. We thank you for actively reporting players who aren’t playing by the rules: it really helps us! You can use the battle replay function on our website to report players who you suspect have violated the game’s Terms of Service and the License Agreement. Instructions on how to do this can be found here.

[h2]Banned accounts[/h2]
Since our last fair play, we’ve banned 5790 accounts that were found to have violated the rules. Specifically 3.2.3 of the EULA namely in the automation of gameplay (using bots) and cheat software. For complete transparency, we’re publishing the full list of these banned players. This list will be available for two weeks after the publication of this article.

[h2]List[/h2]

[h2]Recommendations[/h2]
We recommend that you set a strong password for your account and enable two-step authentication in your profile security settings. We have the following 2FA options available: email, SMS, TOTP (Gaijin Pass/Google Authenticator), and Telegram bot, which we suggest trying if SMS 2FA messages are not reaching you.

We’d also suggest that you turn on 2FA for the email that is linked to your Gaijin account for additional security, as this will protect your account from fraudsters. And remember, don’t use prohibited client modifications and never share your account information with anyone.

The War Thunder Team

Dear players,

The game may not be available at the moment as we are experiencing some technical issues on our servers. We are endeavouring to fix these issues as quickly as possible.

Thank you for your understanding.

Let’s take a look at the premium version of the C1 Ariete tank with additional armor and a unique look!

[h2]Ariete Certezza: A Premium MBT for Italy at Rank VII[/h2]
At a glance:

• Good mobility!
  
• DM53 APFSDS shell.
  
• Additional WAR armor. 
  

 
Vehicle History
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In 1984, requirements were formed to create a new tank for the Italian Army. Multiple Italian defense companies became involved in creating this new tank, including FIAT, OTO Melara and IVECO. Developments in tank design during the OF-40 tank program and participation in the development of the Leopard 1 were used in the creation of the C1 Ariete prototype. The first batch of tanks were completed in 1988, and after a long series of tests and financial difficulties, the C1 began production in 1995. The initial plan was for 700 tanks, however only 200 were produced in total. In parallel with the base models, the PSO and WAR armor add-on kits were developed, improving the tank’s armor protection at the front and side. 

To this day, the Italian Army is the only operator of the C1 Ariete tank. 
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[h3]Pre-order - Ariete Certezza Pack[/h3]
69.99
To get to the Gaijin Store through Steam, go to the in-game hangar > Shop > Online Store!

• Ariete Certezza (Rank VII, Italy)
  
• 2500 Golden Eagles
  
• Premium account for 20 days
  
• Pre-order bonus: unique "Iron Heart" title
  
• Pre-order bonus: 32nd Tank Regiment coat of arms decal
  

[h2]Introducing the Ariete Certezza![/h2]

The Ariete Certezza is essentially a premium version of the C1 Ariete with the WAR armor add-on kit and a unique look. Coming to the game in the Hornet’s Sting major update, the pre-order pack will provide you with special pre-order bonuses, premium account days and Golden Eagles. Diving into the details!



Let’s take a closer look at the WAR armor add-on kit mentioned above. This kit provides additional protection on the turret’s cheeks, helping to resist hits from guided missiles and HEAT based shells. In terms of firepower, the Ariete Certezza features the 120 mm OTO Breda 120/44 cannon with an effective fire control system that includes a laser rangefinder and a high-res thermal imager. As for ammunition, this tank’s main round of choice is the DM53 APFSDS shell, providing excellent penetration values of just over 600 mm at 100 m. 



As for the unique appearance of the Ariete Certezza, we’ve aimed to combine some of the characteristic features of tanks in this series that participated in various exercises and demonstrations. In addition to the markings on the hull and turret, this premium tank is distinguished by unique exhaust pipes that in a way are somewhat reminiscent of the ones from the Tiger tank and concertina razor wire on the lower front plate. To top it off, the Ariete Certezza has a Camouflage net modification that you can turn on or off to your liking! You’ll also be able to remove the WAR add-on armor kit, however the camouflage net will become unavailable when doing this.



That’s it for this dev blog! The Ariete Certezza can be pre-ordered starting from today and will be available with the release of the Hornet’s Sting major update. Keep an eye out for more dev blogs coming your way! 

Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.

Let’s take a look at the Su-30SM, a modern Russian multi-role two-seat fighter jet coming to the Hornet’s Sting major update!

[h2]Su-30SM: A Jet Fighter for the USSR at Rank VIII[/h2]
At a glance:

• Up to 12 weapon hardpoints.
  
• Huge arsenal of available weapons!
  
• New R-77-1 ARH air-to-air missile.
  
• Thrust vectoring control.
  

Vehicle History
[expand]
During the further development of the Su-27 series of fighters, the introduction of a second crew member became necessary. This was to be the pilot-operator who could take control of weapons and navigation systems and if needed, have the ability to replace the main pilot on long-distance flights. For the development of a two-seater variant, the Su-27UB was picked to be modified. It received a new pilot-operator seat and numerous improvements to on-board avionics and weapon control systems.

In 1988, the aircraft entered testing under the designation of Su-30. Due to the difficult economic situation, it was decided to offer the new fighter to foreign customers, the first being India. Based on one of the fighter upgrades for the needs of India, a modification for the Russian Air Force was developed in the early 2010s. This was the new Su-30SM model that entered testing in September 2012 and by the end of the same year began to enter active units.

The Su-30SM is currently in active service with the Aerospace Forces and Naval Aviation of the Russian Navy and is also in service with Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia and Myanmar.
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[h2]Introducing the Su-30SM![/h2]

One of the modern representatives of the Su-27 family is the two-seat variant of the Su-30SM, an advanced twin-engine fighter that’s currently in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces! This rather heavy and large-in-size multi-role fighter features a large payload and can accelerate to a maximum speed of about Mach 2, all while maintaining amazing maneuverability for its size. The Su-30SM also has the most advanced weapons among all USSR/Russian aircraft in the game. Let’s take a closer look!



The Su-30SM may feel familiar as it continues on from the Su-27SM, but will offer some interesting new features both in terms of piloting and weapons. Let’s start with its flight characteristics. Equipped with the AL-31F engine that provides speed and climb rates that are comparable to the Su-27, these engines have rotating nozzles, opening up new possibilities in full control modes. They can change the direction of thrust — known as thrust vectoring — along all axes during maneuvers, improving controllability at extreme angles. When you use this aircraft in the Hornet’s Sting major update, you’ll be able to temporarily disable the limitation on going beyond critical angles of attack and enable control of angular speeds while in battle — but do it at your own risk! In simplified modes, the moving nozzles help a little during takeoff and vertical maneuvers, and slightly increase the sharpness of turns.

Interesting: The famous “Russian Knights” aerobatic team uses the Su-30SM for training and aerobatic demonstration performances.



Moving on from flight performance, what about weaponry? The Su-30SM’s secondary weapons menu looks almost like a candy store for a sweet tooth: up to 12 hardpoints, a huge payload weight and countless combinations! Let’s start with weapons for air combat. The air-to-air missiles are mostly inherited from the Su-27SM, including the R-73, R-27ET and R-27ER with SARH homing head and inertial guidance system. Additionally there’s a new ARH homing missile, the R-77-1, featuring improved energy and an increased launch range.

In terms of weapons for use against ground targets, the available amount has become noticeably more diverse. Up first is the Kh-29L, Kh-29TD, Kh-38ML and Kh-38MT guided missile family from Sukhoi attack aircraft and bombers. Next, the KAB-1500Kr guided bombs have been supplemented by the small KAB-500Kr and the LG family bombs with a laser, satellite and inertial guidance KAB-250LG, KAB-500LG and KAB-1500LG, satellite-guided UPAB-500 and UPAB-1500 and the long-range Grom-2. To control these guided weapons, the Su-30SM features the new T220 targeting pod, the first targeting pod in the USSR aviation tree with wide viewing angles.



If for some reason you prefer old school or the mission objectives require attacking ground vehicles or destroying bases, then regular bombs come to the rescue! In addition to the above, there’s regular 100 to 1500 kg bombs, 500 kg parachute retarded bombs, 500 kg incendiary bombs, plus rockets including the large S-25. The icing on the cake is a modern radar with a passive phased array (PESA radar), providing fast target coordinate updates in TWS mode, an RWR and a modern cockpit with multiple multi-function displays (MFD).



That’s it for today! The Su-30SM is ready to become the USSR’s new hero at the top aviation battles in War Thunder — make sure to give it a try when it’s released in the Hornet’s Sting major update!

Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.