Today we’re taking a look at the Israeli SPYDER AIO, a rapid-deployment air defense system designed to counter all types of modern aerial threats.

At a glance:

• Python-5 and Derby missiles

• High-speed radar scanning

• Effective short and long range air defense

• Good mobility

Vehicle History
The SPYDER AIO (All-In-One) is an Israeli mobile air defense system jointly developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries to provide rapid, autonomous protection against a wide range of aerial threats, ranging from planes, helicopters to UAVs and even precision-guided munitions. It evolved from the original SPYDER (Surface-to-air Python and Derby) system, which was designed in the early 2000s to meet the needs of modern, mobile, and multi-layered air defense.

The system has attracted interest globally and has since been adopted by the armed forces of several countries including Azerbaijan, the Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, the UAE, Morocco and others. The AIO variant integrates all system components — radar, command and control, and missile launchers — onto a single vehicle for enhanced mobility and quicker deployment. The SPYDER AIO was designed to launch both Python-5 and Derby missiles, offering both short and medium-range interception capabilities.

The SPYDER AIO is arriving to War Thunder as part of the Leviathans major update to reinforce the top rank of the Israeli ground forces tree with one of the most advanced air defense systems to date. Featuring a selection of two missile types and a highly capable radar system, the Spyder is set to become the new guardian angel when playing the Israel ground forces tree. Ready to find out more? Let’s take a look at the details.

In most cases, modern missile-based air defense systems consist of several units with distinct roles, working together. In the case of the SPYDER AIO, Israeli engineers integrated all functions into a single, highly mobile platform, thus creating a highly potent all-in-one solution. The SPYDER’s signature strength lies undoubtedly in its electronic equipment and most prominently, in its advanced radar system. Consisting of a fixed four phased antenna array, the SPYDER can scan the surrounding airspace at smaller intervals. This, coupled with thermal imaging, enables the Spyder AIO to detect aerial threats well ahead of time and in all weather conditions, before they become an acute danger to allies on the ground.

Detecting a foe is one thing, but dealing with them effectively is a whole different one. Fortunately however, the SPYDER has access to two types of advanced missile systems — the Python-5 and Derby. The Derby will be familiar if you’ve played Israel before, but the Python-5 is brand-new to the game! Each missile system is tailored to a different engagement type, yet both feature fire-and-forget capability, meaning you can focus solely on coordinating the order of engagement of hostile air threats. Both missiles are roughly identical in range, but complement each other in different combat situations. The Derby being an ARH missile is immune to flares and IRCMs, and can also capture targets in the frontal hemisphere from greater ranges. The Python-5 with IR guidance does not trigger RWR (except for the most advanced ones that feature MAWS with optical sensors for detecting rocket engine flares) and are immune to “notching”. Therefore it’s reasonable to fire at targets that pose the biggest threat with both types of missiles at once.


That’s it for this one! The SPYDER AIO will soon become available to all players at the top rank of the Israeli ground forces trees with the release of the Leviathans major update! In the meantime, be sure to keep an eye out on the news for what is coming next. Until then, happy hunting and see you soon in the next devblog!

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

The Royal Italian Navy was founded shortly after the unification of the country on March 17th 1861. A significant part of it was made up of the navies of the kingdoms of Naples and Sardinia. For a long time, they were significantly disunited, and only in 1881 was a common Naval Academy opened in Livorno. By the beginning of the 20th century, Italy was already a serious naval power, capable of confronting Austria-Hungary in the Adriatic Sea. It was there on June 10th 1917 that an Italian motor torpedo boat sank the dreadnought SMS Szent István, and in honor of this victory, Italian Navy Day was established.

This destroyer is available for 3850 Golden Eagles.

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When: June 10th (11:00 GMT) until June 13th (07:00 GMT).
Where: Italy > Bluewater fleet > Premium vehicles.

About this destroyer

• The RN Geniere was actively used during the Second World War as an escort ship, mainly protecting Italian convoys leading to Libya. Its arsenal is universal, featuring a powerful anti-aircraft battery, depth charges, powerful torpedoes and 120 mm guns, ready to fire every 7.5 seconds with a well-trained crew. And of course, the speed and maneuverability required of a destroyer compensate for the light armor.

RN Pola is available at 5614 Golden Eagles, and RN Leonardo da Vinci is available at 5866 Golden Eagles!

When: June 10th (11:00 GMT) until June 13th (07:00 GMT).
Where: Italy > Bluewater fleet > Premium vehicles.

About these ships

• RN Pola’s main caliber is represented by eight 203 mm guns — they’re powerful, but fire slowly. This ship has good armor, a decent anti-aircraft battery and decent speed. A real all-rounder!

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• RN Leonardo da Vinci may not be fast, but it packs an impressive punch. This ship boasts 305 mm guns with semi-armor-piercing shells that carry a huge amount of explosives.

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You can get this decal for this special occasion!



“Coat of arms of the Naval Service of the Italian Coast Guard” decal

When: From June 10th (11:00 GMT) Until June 13th (07:00 GMT).
Task: Play 3 battles using Italian naval vessels at rank III or higher to receive the “Coat of arms of the Naval Service of the Italian Coast Guard” decal.

Additional details:

• Your activity must not be below 70%.

• You can complete the task in random battles, except for Enduring Confrontation missions, and \[Assault] mode.

• Track your progress in the hangar by clicking Nickname → Achievements → Holidays → Italian Navy Day.

• You can find the decal in the “Italy -> Navy” tab in the customization menu.

We’ve finally arrived! Introducing the Japanese F-2A multi-role fighter as a researchable variant, and the F-2A ADTW as a premium pack variant.

At a glance:

• Excellent flight characteristics

• Advanced electronics

• IR and ARH air-to-air missiles

• Large amount of weaponry

• No HMD

To get to the Gaijin Store through Steam, go to the in-game hangar > Shop > Online Store!

79.99

• F-2A ADTW (Rank VIII, Japan)

• Premium account for 30 days

• 3000 Golden Eagles

• Pre-order bonus: unique title “Viper Zero”

• Pre-order bonus: unique “Gifu Air Base of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force emblem” decal

Vehicle History

Jointly developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and American companies General Dynamics and Lockheed, the F-2A fighter is based on the American F-16 for the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. While maintaining its basic aerodynamics, the F-2A received an enlarged wing made of composite materials, a reinforced fuselage and full Japanese avionics, including an AESA radar and an integrated fire control system.

The prototype first flew in 1995, and serial production of 94 aircraft (including F-2B combat trainers) was carried out from 2000 to 2011. Despite its technological advancement, the program faced a record cost of about $120 million per aircraft. During operation, problems with the resource of composite wings and electronics were revealed, requiring expensive upgrades.

Today, the F-2A remains the key strike aircraft of the Self-Defense Force. The unique experience of creating the F-2A allowed Japan to develop its own fifth-generation technology demonstrator, the X-2 Shinshin.

Japan’s long-awaited top jet fighter is coming in the Leviathans major update! Meet the F-2A Viper Zero — an advanced multi-role aircraft, expertly crafted for modern air combat and the destruction of sea and ground targets with guided weapons from long distances. Plus, along with the researchable F-2A, a premium variant named the F-2A ADTW is available for pre-order starting today! Let’s take a closer look.

The F-2A’s appearance may look strikingly familiar, and that’s because it is based on the American F-16C Block 40. Despite looking similar, the F-2A received significant improvements in almost all combat characteristics. It has a longer wing, composite materials have been widely used in the fuselage and tail design, helping to increase the F-2A’s speed, rate of climb and maneuverability to the level of some of the best aircraft in the game.

Interesting: The F-2A has the nickname of “Viper Zero”! This name is combined from the F-16’s nickname of “Viper”, and the name of the classic A6M “Zero”.

As befits a multi-role jet aircraft, the F-2A’s arsenal allows it to perform any tasks, one of which is the ability to adequately take out naval targets without coming into direct contact with them. This is thanks to the ASM-1 and ASM-2 anti-ship missiles, which are new to the game! The first one has an ARH seeker with inertial guidance, while the second one has a seeker with IR and inertial guidance. Alongside these missiles is the excellent AAM-3 close-range missile, found on the Japanese F-15J. These missiles come stock for the aircraft and have a high maximum overload, a very long time of controlled flight and good IR countermeasures resistance. For other scenarios, you can research and use the AAM-4 medium-range missile, featuring a ARH homing head, which are approximately similar in efficiency and guidance to the American AIM-120A. To round them up, they have inertial guidance, a data-link, a decent available maximum overload and a launch range even higher than the American missile!

So we’ve spoken about the air-to-air and air-to-ship missiles, but what can be used against ground vehicles? There’s literally an entire arsenal. We’re talking the GBU-31 JDAM and the GBU-38 JDAM with satellite guidance, the more advanced GBU-54B LJDAM with laser, inertial and satellite guidance, to a large selection of regular and tail fin bombs with a total weight of over 5,000 kg per sortie, Zuni rockets and up to 342 Mighty Mouse rockets. To locate targets, the F-2A features its own J/AAQ-2 targeting pod, and a new Sniper pod is required for launching the LJDAM guided bombs!

As mentioned at the start of the text, today pre-orders for the F-2A Air Development and Test Wing (ADTW) have started! This one was created after a prototype for test purposes. This is truly an eye-catching aircraft, featuring slightly worse air-to-air missiles than its researchable variant, and it will not be able to launch GBU-54 or ARH missiles.

The anticipated F-2A Viper Zero and nice F-2A ADTW are coming to the game in the Leviathans major update, which is coming soon. See you around!

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

On June 9th 1892, Nikolai Nikolaevich Polikarpov was born. He was a famous Soviet aircraft designer nicknamed “the king of fighters”. He designed dozens of aircraft, including the Po-2, I-15 and I-16, which made up a significant part of the USSR’s air force from 1939-1941.

The I-16 type 28 is available for 1350 Golden Eagles.

When: From June 9th (11:00 GMT) until June 12th (11:00 GMT).
Where: USSR > Aviation > Premium vehicles.

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About this aircraft

• The I-16 type 28 is a slow, but fast-climbing and maneuverable aircraft, ideal for turn fighting. This aircraft features two 20 mm ShVAK cannons and two 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns, plus six 82 mm rockets and two FAB bombs up to 100 kg that can be mounted on the wings.

The I-153P is available for 665 Golden Eagles and Zhukovsky’s I-153-M62 is available for 280 Golden Eagles.

When: From June 9th (11:00 GMT) until June 12th (11:00 GMT).
Where: USSR > Aviation > Premium vehicles.

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About these aircraft

• Both of these variants of the I-153 Chaika are equipped with the M62 engine and are capable of carrying two 50 kg bombs or eight 82 mm rockets. The I-153P got its name from the word “gun”, as it is armed with two 20 mm ShVAK cannons. The I-153-M62 which was flown at the start of the Second World War by ace Sergei Yakovlevich Zhukovsky is equipped with four 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns.

Thank you for another week of stunning submissions— we love seeing your creativity and detail. For this upcoming theme, we’re shifting our focus from firepower to flair. This week, transform your vehicles into works of art through custom skins. Whether it’s a historically accurate camouflage, a battle-worn repaint, or something uniquely your own, show us how your personalized paint job adds character to your machines. The three most popular and three selected by us will get 300 GE. See the winners down below!


Create a stunning screenshot and submit it on the War Thunder Steam Community Hub with the tag #WTscreen175. You have time until the 13th of June 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.

• Your screenshot must include a vehicle with a customized skin, or with decals applied.
  
• You can find skins for vehicles here.
  
• You must add the #WTscreen175 tag (title cannot have any other text in it).
  
• Artists may only win by popular vote once per four screenshot competitions.

[/b]

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.

[/list]


https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3493640431
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3492242883
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3491092509

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3490880681
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3492816717
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3491455295

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

Check out the famous Czechoslovakian L-39 trainer coming to War Thunder in its combat training variant, the L-39ZA!

At a glance:

• Good handling

• Bombs and rockets

• Low top speed

• Two flap positions and an air brake

• Low ammo count for the cannon

To get to the Gaijin Store through Steam, go to the in-game hangar > Shop > Online Store!

49.99

• L-39ZA Albatros (Rank V, USSR)

• 2000 Golden Eagles

• Premium account for 15 days

• Pre-order bonus: unique title "Bird of passage"

• Pre-order bonus: unique decal "Albatross"
  

Vehicle History

The Czechoslovakian L-39 jet trainer replaced the L-29 Delfin. It was a completely new aircraft that featured a simple and reliable design and received a more powerful engine with almost twice the thrust as the L-29. The prototype first took to the skies on November 4th 1968 and serial production began in 1972. In 1974, development of a combat training variant called the L-39ZA began, equipped with a 23 mm GSh-23L cannon and reinforced chassis. Serial production of this variant began in 1980. Later on, special export variants were produced.

The L-39ZA was tested in the USSR in 1979, where it confirmed its effectiveness as a light attack aircraft. A total of 265 aircraft of this modification were built, entering service with the Air Forces of Czechoslovakia, the GDR, Bulgaria, Romania, Syria, Algeria among several other countries.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the L-39 proved itself as a universal platform for training and combat operations. Even after the collapse of the Warsaw Pact, the L-39 remains in demand — many of these aircraft are still in operation in various countries, and its successor, the L-39NG, L-59 and L-159 continue to build on the success of this legendary aircraft. Thanks to the combination of simplicity, reliability and versatility, the L-39 Albatros is rightfully considered as one of the best combat trainer aircraft in the world.

Meet the combat variant of the famous Czechoslovakian L-39 trainer coming to the game in the Leviathans major update as a rank V premium for the USSR! This is the first fully domestically designed Czechoslovakian aircraft to arrive to the game and today pre-orders for it have started! So without further ado, let’s dive into the details.

The L-39ZA Albatros is a two-seat subsonic jet aircraft that was not only used for training pilots, but also was used as a standalone combat strike aircraft. The L-39ZA features a twin-barreled 23 mm cannon positioned under the cockpit at the center of the fuselage, so aiming this gun is pretty easy! Although having said this, the total ammunition is just 150 rounds, so you’re going to have to make sure that your shots count. For destroying ground vehicles, the L-39ZA features a good amount of bombs and rockets — up to 1000 kg of bombs ranging from 100, 250 and 500 kg, as well as up to 64 small S-5K rockets.

We’d like to note that in real life, the L-39ZA can indeed carry air-to-air missiles, however the introduction of these missiles to the aircraft in-game would inevitably lead to its Battle Rating increasing. Given the L-39ZA’s speed characteristics, it would make this aircraft easy prey for opponents if it were to have a higher Battle Rating. As a result, we’ve decided to introduce the ground attack variant of this aircraft, making it an excellent addition to ground force lineups at rank V. It will also be able to play effectively in air modes at its rank too.

Speaking of speed, the L-39ZA can reach a maximum speed of around 760 km/h, where it can be controlled well throughout its entire speed range thanks to the short wings and high tail that provide excellent turn and roll rates. Plus, the L-39ZA has two positions for its flaps along with an air brake, helping to accurately line up on ground targets and give an additional advantage while turning in air battles.

The L-39ZA Albatros combat-trainer is coming to War Thunder in the Leviathans major update! From today, you can pre-order this strike aircraft to get unique bonuses, Golden Eagles and Premium Account time. Follow the link above to the store page and keep an eye on the news for more dev blogs coming soon™!

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

On June 6th 1944, the Western Front opened in the European theater of the Second World War. A record-breaking150,000 Allied soldiers landed on the beaches of Normandy with support from the sea and air. D-Day is one of the most important events in the history of the 20th century, and we celebrate it every year!

When: From June 6th (11:00 GMT) until June 9th (11:00 GMT).

Celebrate the anniversary with the following unique bundles available for purchase in the Gaijin.net store.

To get to the Gaijin Store through Steam, go to the in-game hangar > Shop > Online Store!

$98.36 $68.85

• M4A3E2 Sherman Jumbo Cobra King;

• M18 Black Cat Pack;

• George Bostwick's P-47M-1-RE Thunderbolt Pack;

• Mustang Pack;

• Unique title: “First in Deed”;

• Unique decal: “First United States Army Insignia”.

To get to the Gaijin Store through Steam, go to the in-game hangar > Shop > Online Store!

$93.96 $65.77

• M10 Achilles Pack;

• Sherman Firefly Ic Pack;

• Prendergast`s Spitfire FR Mk.XIVe Pack;

• Typhoon Pack;

• Unique title: “Sledgehammer”;

• Unique decal: “2nd Army Formation badge”.

To get to the Gaijin Store through Steam, go to the in-game hangar > Shop > Online Store!

$192 $96.16

• M4A3E2 Sherman Jumbo Cobra King;

• M18 Black Cat Pack;

• George Bostwick's P-47M-1-RE Thunderbolt Pack;

• Mustang Pack;

• M10 Achilles Pack;

• Sherman Firefly Ic Pack;

• Prendergast`s Spitfire FR Mk.XIVe Pack;

• Typhoon Pack;

• Unique title: “Overlord”;

• Unique decal: “SHAEF insignia”.

• + Decals and titles from “First in deed” and “Sledgehammer” bundles.

Please note! You can also get the unique titles and decals if you log into the game from June 6th to June 9th and get at least three victories, while at the same time you have previously purchased all separate packs that are included in the bundles above. The titles and decals will be assigned after June 11th to all players who have fulfilled these conditions.

When: From June 5th (11:00 GMT) until June 17th (11:00 GMT).

Play in Ground battles, earn points and get themed decals and a decoration, plus the American T86 premium tank that is capable of driving on water thanks to being amphibious!

CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE DETAILS

When: From June 1st (11:00 GMT) until June 30th (11:00 GMT).

This month’s Pages of History features Theodore Roosevelt Jr, the son of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt and a veteran of both World Wars. He was the only general to personally land on the beaches of Normandy along with the rest of the soldiers on the morning of June 6th 1944. People thought he was going to his death, but the 56-year old (who walked with a cane) not only survived but also brilliantly commanded his subordinates.

CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE DETAILS

Decorate your vehicles with this unique decal.

“D-Day 2025” decal

When: From June 6th (11:00 GMT) until June 10th (07:00 GMT).

Task: Play 3 battles using US, British or French vehicles at rank III or higher to receive the “D-Day 2025” decal!

Additional details:

• Your activity must not be below 70%.

• You can complete the task in random battles, except for Enduring Confrontation missions, and \[Assault] mode.

• Track your progress in the hangar by clicking Nickname → Achievements → Holidays → D-Day.

• You can find the decal in the “Holidays” tab in the customization menu.

When: From June 6th (11:00 GMT) until June 9th (11:00 GMT).
Where: Great Britain > Bluewater fleet > Premium vehicles.

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HMS Belfast is now a museum ship in London! But in the mid-20th century, she played a part in many battles. HMS Belfast escorted northern convoys to the Soviet Union, participated in the Battle of the North Cape and the sinking of the battleship Scharnhorst, and provided fire support during the Normandy landings on June 6th 1944.

We’ve lined up a series of air, tank and naval tournaments dedicated to the anniversary of D-Day! Registration for them is already open and will last until June 8th. In these tournaments, you can win a special D-Day decal and the “Ace of Normandy” title. Don’t forget, we have an official Esports Discord server, so don’t forget to join!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE TOURNAMENTS WEBSITE

How to participate in War Thunder Tournaments

Hello everyone! Thanks for checking in for another round of monthly decals, we hope you liked the selection last month!

Thank you for leaving your suggestions on the forum and in the comments, this month we brought back a few previous decals you requested, and the decal for Italy was suggested by a player too. We look at all of the suggestions that you leave, so if you have some interesting examples be sure to make a post and we’ll take a look!

The following decals will be available from June 6th (11:00 GMT) until July 7th (09:00 GMT).

All tasks can be completed using vehicles that are rank III or higher.

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Monthly markings can be found in a special tab at the bottom of the customization menu, (Monthly Decals) after a month, they’ll be moved to their corresponding category.

You can check the exact terms and track the progress of completing tasks for these decals by going to your Player Profile > Decals > Monthly Decals. From here, click the “Track progress” button on each decal to track from the hangar.



All of the emblems will come with a detailed description. This will generally consist of the history of the marking, its design, which vehicles used it, and where it was often placed on vehicles historically if applicable (some emblems are taken from badges, which weren’t always applied). This way you can more easily recreate the original positioning if you’d like.

We hope you like these historical decal events and enjoy the selection for June, thank you for all of your comments and suggestions, we’ll see you next month!

Meet this mobile SAM vehicle, featuring radar missiles on the back of an army Humvee jeep!

At a glance:

• Launcher and radar vehicles on Humvee chassis
  
• Two missile types: IR and ARH
  
• Very high top speed!
  
• Vulnerable to being taken out

Vehicle History
The SL-AMRAAM (Surface Launched AMRAAM) surface-to-air missile system was developed by American company Raytheon as a land-based version of the AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missile. This short and medium-range mobile system was created to protect troops and important facilities from modern air threats.

The system is based on the AIM-120C missile with an ARH head, launched from compact launchers on a Humvee or truck chassis. To detect targets, the system uses AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel radars or other compatible radars integrated into a single NATO air defense network.




The SL-AMRAAM is set to be one of the most interesting new vehicles coming in the Leviathans major update. Not just because it is capable of firing both AIM-120 ARH missiles and new to the game AIM-9X all-aspect missiles, but because it’s a Multi-Vehicle SAM System based on the famous Humvee chassis! Let’s take a further look at what it is all about.




If you’ve been following our news as of late, you would have heard about Multi-Vehicle SAM Systems coming to War Thunder. If you missed it, make sure to get yourself up to speed here! In short, these new systems feature one radar vehicle and one or two launchers that can be placed nearby.

The SL-AMRAAM features a radar vehicle with an AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel radar on the back of a trailer, as well as two launcher vehicles in the form of missiles mounted onto the back of a Humvee. At your fingertips are two different types of missiles that can be used for both medium and short ranges and altitudes. The first one is the AIM-120C, which features an ARH seeker, excellent for use against targets coming head on. This missile has a launch range of about 25 km from the ground, a long flight time and improved jamming immunity.




The second missile is the AIM-9X, one of the most modern iterations of the famous Sidewinder air-to-air missile family! This missile is going to be a very, very unpleasant surprise for enemy aircraft. It has an all-aspect IR seeker, a high immunity to countermeasures, an amazingly high available overload and a controlled thrust vector. If you’re on the receiving end of this missile, it will not be easy to escape it once it has been fired at you. It can be launched at a distance of about 10 km against a non-maneuvering target.

Since the Humvee features a modular design, it was the perfect choice for this missile system. The SL-AMRAAM’s radar vehicle and two launchers are both based on the Humvee, which are also integral parts of the U.S. and NATO military contingents. This U.S. Armed Forces workhorse is fast, on a good road you can accelerate to more than 110 km/h! The armor is just bulletproof and anti-fragmentation however, providing little to no reliable protection, so make sure to position your vehicles wisely.



That’s this one done! The SL-AMRAAM Multi-Vehicle SAM System is coming to rank VIII in the USA’s ground forces tree as an end of line SPAA (SAM) in the Leviathans major update! And remember, be sure to check out our website for other dev blogs we’ve got coming.

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

The T86 is an American amphibious vehicle, coming in as the main reward in the Normandy ‘44 event!

At a glance:

• M18 Hellcat base
  
• 76 mm gun with APCR, APCBC, AP shells
  
• Vertical stabilizer
  
• Large in size, making it vulnerable
  
• Amphibious!

Vehicle History

In February 1944, the U.S. Ordnance Department initiated the development of an amphibious vehicle with a 76 mm gun based on the M18 Hellcat. The contract for the design was awarded to Sparkman & Stephens, and in September 1944, two prototypes were approved to be built — the T86 and T86E1. The main difference was the ability to drive on water. The T86 was driven on water by its tracks, whereas the T86E1 by two propellers. Both vehicles retained some elements of the M18, but received an enlarged displacement hull, folding rudders for maneuvering on water, special wave deflectors and additional periscopes for the crew.

The prototype was tested in late 1944. The T86 achieved a speed of 8.4 km/h on water, while the T86E1 achieved 10 km/h, which was lower than the expected 12 km/h. Despite attempts to further improve the T86E1 by installing a larger propeller, the prototype that moved on water with its tracks was considered more successful. Later on, a third prototype, the T87 was created with a shortened hull and a turret with the 105 mm T88 gun, but with the end of the war in 1945, all work on the program was stopped.




The Normandy ‘44 event honors one of the most decisive operations during the Second World War. D-Day happened on June 6th 1944 and for this momentous occasion we have an event that started today, featuring the T86 American experimental amphibious tank which is based on the popular M18 Hellcat, two D-Day related decals and a decoration. Let’s take a closer look at the T86!




Compared to the M18 Hellcat, the T86 has retained the transmission, core chassis and turret with the same gun, all while losing most of its armor. The obvious main difference is that it has been dressed up in a special amphibious pontoon, allowing it to drive while on water! There’s a total of five crew members, with three of them located in the lightly protected turret. The weapon is the same found on the M18 Hellcat, the 76 mm M1 gun with the ammunition for this gun being the same you’d expect to see on the M18 Hellcat — AP, HE, APCBC, APCR and a Smoke shell!

As obvious from how the T86 looks, the turret is placed on a very large hull, which allows the tank to float and drive on water as already mentioned. Since the hull is now larger in all directions, the overall mobility is now lower due to the weight of the pontoon and weaker engine.




While playing the T86, be sure to rely on its mobility which is still good and its very effective gun with a good reload speed and vertical stabilizer, which make this tank a handy contributor to the battle. There’s almost no hope though when you get hit by shells or even machine gun bullets, since the armor is thin and the crew is cramped quite tightly. Although sometimes the separation of the crew in the turret from the driver and radio operator in the hull can play into your hands, especially if you don’t fill the ammunition racks to the brim — but don’t count on it!

Like all vehicles with an open fighting compartment, the T86 is especially vulnerable to aircraft and SPAA looking to take a bite. On the flipside, a .50 cal is mounted on the turret, handy for fighting off low flying aircraft, so long as the crew member using it stays alive.



The T86 is a great little vehicle that could have stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day if it had been developed earlier. That’s it for this one, be sure to check out the event details below to learn how you can get yourself this vehicle!

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

Click here to find out more details about the Normandy ‘44 event